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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23225173">playing house</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ugaytsu/pseuds/ugaytsu'>ugaytsu</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Teachers, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Arranged Marriage, Blow Jobs, M/M, POV Multiple, Rimming, one-sided atsukita, smut indicated in the chapter titles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 02:35:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>22,528</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23225173</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ugaytsu/pseuds/ugaytsu</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kita arranges his marriage by himself. He finds that he gets along with his husband.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kita Shinsuke/Ushijima Wakatoshi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>237</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>429</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Trying to do the fluff bingo from https://twitter.com/HeyMellieJellie/status/1240337720687374336 </p><p>A lot of parts I copy-pasted from one of my old Seventeen fics. Please ship Ushikita!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kita Shinsuke needed to get married as soon as possible.</p>
<p>He doesn't have a boyfriend. In fact, he didn’t even have any prospects. So he turned to his network of old ladies and middle-aged women in the neighborhood that he interacted with, saying he was interested in having arranged marriage meetings for himself. That led to many encounters that Shinsuke isn’t interested in at all. None of these guys seemed like they would be good husbands.</p>
<p>A lady at the supermarket that Kita knows from teaching extracurricular classes at the neighborhood community center says she knows someone: a teacher like Shinsuke, she says, who is very single and very gay and also tall and attractive. That was mostly the description all the other ladies gave of the guys Shinsuke was introduced to, but none of them were also teachers. He decided that he’ll try it out, and gets arranged to meet the man in a cafe during the weekend.</p>
<p>Ushijima Wakatoshi is twenty-eight, lives in the next neighborhood, and teaches at Niiyama High School just a station away from where Shinsuke works.</p>
<p>“Going home together after work would be no problem. I can pick you up after I finish work,” Ushijima is saying. A very serious man. He hasn’t smiled the whole time he’s been sitting here with Shinsuke, acting like this is purely business talk.</p>
<p>Which it is.</p>
<p>Kita takes a sip of his coffee. “What are your motivations for getting married?”</p>
<p>“I would like someone to divide the bills and chores with.”</p>
<p>Interesting. “So, divide. Not just dump it all on whoever marries you. You will help out as well.”</p>
<p>Ushijima frowns at him and Kita almost cancels the deal then and there. “Of course. That is why I am getting married and not just getting a roommate. Marriage is a division of responsibilities.”</p>
<p>So he’s a somewhat decent man. “That’s good to hear. Then, is that all you want from marriage?”</p>
<p>Shaking his head firmly, Ushijima clasps his hands in front of him. “I would like to eat together and have date night.”</p>
<p>Kita raises an eyebrow. “Date night?”</p>
<p>Ushijima nods seriously. “It is essential for a strong marriage, according to articles. We have to go out to dinner or watch a movie at least once a week.”</p>
<p>Kita thinks about it. Eating meals at home was much, much cheaper than going out. He’ll have to get Ushijima to compromise. “That could get expensive. How about watching movies at home?”</p>
<p>“That is fine with me.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Kita leans back against his chair. “I think we could get this to work.”</p>
<p>They shake on it to make the agreement official.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-</p>
<p>The two of them were technically already married, they already had a marriage certificate and their names are already registered as "married" by the government, but Shinsuke knew the hassle of having a short ceremony was important.</p>
<p>The small event hall looks a lot more expensive than what the two of them had paid for: brightly lit, with fresh violet and white flowers as decorations. Shinsuke thinks he himself looks pretty great in the white suit and tie he's wearing, his bangs brushed back to show a little forehead. Wakatoshi is wearing a similar outfit, looking very serious as usual, while the priest tells them to put on their rings even when the ceremony had started less than ten minutes ago. Shinsuke had requested that the speech be quick and concise.</p>
<p>Wakatoshi nods curtly when the priest informs them that they could kiss. He stoops down to Shinsuke’s level almost mechanically to press their lips together. So the first time they were kissing was on their wedding day. Shinsuke can’t help the heat in his face at the quick kiss, he wasn’t used to kissing strangers.</p>
<p>There’s cheering and applause (Shinsuke can tell that Sugawara is the loudest one out there), but Shinsuke knows that the most important person to him isn’t in the audience with them right now. Oh well, that was why he hired two professional photographers.</p>
<p>His new husband himself didn’t seem too fazed about the whole thing, just going along with the program and looking at cameras when they got their pictures taken with the few family and friends that they invited. Wakatoshi’s father came all the way from abroad to attend the wedding, which Wakatoshi seems rather pleased about, with the slight softening of his expression once in a while whenever his father addressed him.</p>
<p>“Good work today,” Shinsuke tells Wakatoshi once they’re alone in the wedding suite. Their few family and friends had said their goodbyes quickly as Shinsuke had coordinated with the wedding planner to make the wedding as short as it can be, and to have delicious food at the reception. He was pretty stuffed. He yawns as he plops down on a comfy-looking couch. Who knew getting married would be this exhausting? He didn’t understand why people did this on purpose.</p>
<p>“Good work today,” Wakatoshi says back. He sits down beside Shinsuke, shrugging off his jacket and pulling off his tie. He hangs them at the back of the couch. “You look tired.”</p>
<p>“Well, I am. Planning and the whole event itself was exhausting.”</p>
<p>The two of them sit together in silence for a while. It’s awkward to suddenly be married to someone Shinsuke didn’t know that well. It always takes him a while to get close to people, his grandma had worried about it since he was little, but suddenly having to cohabit with someone meant changing schedules to accommodate another person. He takes a breath. One step at a time, fall into a schedule, like every change in his life.</p>
<p>“Oh, right. Take a picture with me, Wakatoshi.”</p>
<p>Shinsuke motions him to come closer. Wakatoshi obliges and scoots over, his arm pressing against Shinsuke’s at the action. Taking out his mobile phone and setting it to the front camera, Shinsuke clicks on the little button to take a picture of them.</p>
<p>The picture comes out pretty cute. He and Wakatoshi both sport blank expressions, but he had to admit that Wakatoshi was good-looking enough to be photogenic. Smiling, he thanks Wakatoshi. He’ll show grandma as soon as he can.</p>
<p>“I will shower first if that’s okay with you,” Wakatoshi says after a while.</p>
<p>Shinsuke nods. He checks his wedding pictures from some of his friends’ social media accounts when Wakatoshi is in the bathroom. The pictures from the wedding photographer were also already uploaded so he checks those out too. He’ll print them out at home.</p>
<p>“The wedding pictures are out,” Shinsuke informs Wakatoshi once he’s out of the shower.</p>
<p>“That’s good. I will look at them later.” Wakatoshi is in a white bathrobe provided by the hotel, drying his hair with a towel as he peers over Shinsuke’s shoulder at his phone. “You can shower.”</p>
<p>“Okay. I will.”</p>
<p>After his shower, Shinsuke finds Wakatoshi in a thin shirt and boxer briefs sitting cross-legged on the bed. He’s almost startled at the pantslessness and the sight of Wakatoshi’s toned legs and arms, but collects himself once he remembers that he <em>is </em>married to this guy.</p>
<p>“I have seen the wedding pictures,” Wakatoshi deadpans. He holds up his phone to show a picture of their previous kiss. “I think they look good. You look nice.”</p>
<p>“Thank you.” Shinsuke towels at his hair as he sits down beside Wakatoshi to look at the pictures he’s already seen a while ago.</p>
<p>“We look like a couple.”</p>
<p>“We are, though. A couple. We’re married,” Shinsuke explains.</p>
<p>“You’re right.” Wakatoshi continues looking at the pictures as Shinsuke changes into a shirt. He decides to just stay in his underwear as well instead of putting on pajamas. Gotta get used to having a husband.</p>
<p>They lay down in the same bed that night, under the same blanket in the dark.</p>
<p>“Do you want me to sleep on the couch instead?” Shinsuke asks in case Wakatoshi isn’t comfortable. They’re lying beside each other, both on their backs with their arms to their sides.</p>
<p>“No. Stay here.”</p>
<p>“Okay.”</p>
<p>Tonight was their wedding night, Shinsuke remembers. It was common, or even tradition, to make love during your wedding night. He turns to his side to look at his husband’s face, illuminated by the bedside lamp. “Do you want to have sex, Wakatoshi?”</p>
<p>Wakatoshi turns to him. “I would like that.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ushijima moves in. Kita's friends are introduced.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sex gets rid of some of the initial awkwardness they have.</p><p>It’s a little easier to talk to Wakatoshi afterwards, and they discuss their morning plans for the week: Wakatoshi will move in with Shinsuke because Shinsuke’s flat is almost completely paid for, they will get up early for a run every morning and then prepare breakfast and bento to take to work, and lastly Wakatoshi will drop Shinsuke off at his workplace before going to his own. It seemed like a good plan. Shinsuke was satisfied with it, and a little more satisfied with the sex and how Wakatoshi keeps an arm around him while they talk and when they drift off to sleep.</p><p>The morning after the wedding the two of them thank the hotel staff before leaving, Kita happy with how Wakatoshi also bowed politely to them, before leaving to their own homes.</p><p>“I will come over tomorrow,” Wakatoshi informs him before getting out.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p>Wakatoshi comes over on Sunday morning.</p><p>The first time he’s coming over to Shinsuke’s place is when he’s moving in. Tendou had warned him that it might be a dilapidated old dump, but he is pleasantly surprised at the well-maintained low-rise building Shinsuke’s detailed hand-drawn map brings him to.</p><p>He rolls a suitcase with one hand and the first of the few boxes he brought with the other, letting go of the suitcase to ring the doorbell to Shinsuke’s place on the second floor.</p><p>“Hello,” Shinsuke greets when he opens the door. He leads Ushijima down the hallway to a tidy little living room area. “Put your things here first. I’ll help you carry the others.”</p><p>“Okay.”</p><p>Honestly, Wakatoshi could do all the carrying himself but since Shinsuke was offering to help so nicely he’ll let him. They take the elevator down in silence until they reach Wakatoshi’s parked car.</p><p>“You can carry some of the plants,” Wakatoshi suggests when Shinsuke has a hard time even lifting a small box. Can’t be helped since Shinsuke is little and the box contained dumbbells.</p><p>“Okay.” Shinsuke doesn’t seem to take his weakness personally and just takes a large potted plant instead, while Wakatoshi stacks the box of dumbbells on top of one that contained some pots and pans before carrying them both. “You are pretty strong, Wakatoshi.”</p><p>“Yes,” Wakatoshi agrees. He is.</p><p>Two trips were all that was needed to get all of Wakatoshi’s things. They settle the plants in the balcony on the condition that they won’t touch the laundry. Wakatoshi’s workout stuff go in a spare room, while his clothes go inside his half of the closet that Shinsuke cleared for him.</p><p>“You can use the second drawer,” Shinsuke instructs as he points at the small chest of drawers.</p><p>Wakatoshi nods. For socks and underwear.</p><p>Even though he didn’t have a lot of belongings, it takes almost the whole morning to have Wakatoshi’s things put away neatly. The two of them are a little sweaty from the exertion and settle for resting on the leather couch, heads thrown back over the headrest.</p><p>“Is tonkatsu okay for lunch?” Shinsuke asks after a while, turning his head to look at Wakatoshi. His bangs are a little messy from the sweat plastering the hair to his forehead. “That’s what I have ingredients for.”</p><p>“Tonkatsu is okay. I can cook it well.” Wakatoshi knew he was a great cook.</p><p>“I see. We can help each other cook, then. To save time.”</p><p>“Agreed.”</p><p>Shinsuke smiles. It’s a nice smile, with his eyes looking all squinty and his teeth showing. “You might be easier to live with than I thought, Wakatoshi.”</p><p>Wakatoshi nods. Shinsuke seemed easy enough to live with too, his space kept clean and tidy. “I’ll do my best to be a good husband.”</p><p>A good husband. He thinks back on the article he read, which was entitled <em>100 Things You Can Do to be a Better Husband.</em></p><p>“Would you like a rim job, Shinsuke?” Wakatoshi asks. He elaborates when Shinsuke looks surprised. He might not know the term, because Wakatoshi didn’t know it either until he did another separate web search to understand the terms in <em>100 Things You Can Do to be a Better Husband</em>. “Also known as anilingus, rimming, eating ass or tossing the salad. It’s when I-”</p><p>“I get it, Wakatoshi,” Shinsuke interrupts. His expression doesn't show any embarrassment, but his cheeks and ears are pink. “Yes, please.”</p><p>-</p><p>The first work morning after Wakatoshi moved in was a little easier than expected: it didn’t take a lot of effort to wake Wakatoshi up and have him change into workout clothing, which Shinsuke was used to doing every morning. It’s part of Wakatoshi’s routine too. They stretch and go for a 30-minute run before going home.</p><p>They divide the food preparation labor: Wakatoshi does the cooking while Shinsuke showers, and Shinsuke finishes the cooking, prepares the table and packs lunch for them while Wakatoshi showers. Easy, without any unnecessary talk that would waste time.</p><p>The only part Shinsuke wasn’t used to was having a car. He usually walked to the station and took the train, but now he had Wakatoshi to drop him off to work. He decided he liked Wakatoshi’s car: a few years old model, but clean and comfortable and permanently set to the radio station that only played old songs.</p><p>It doesn’t take a long time to reach Shinsuke’s workplace: Inarizaki High School, powerhouse school in a lot of sports including the volleyball club which Shinsuke supervised after school.</p><p>“Thank you for driving me to work, Wakatoshi,” Shinsuke says with a small smile. He reaches for his things in the back seat: a bag with his teaching essentials and another smaller bag containing his lunch. Wakatoshi doesn’t say anything, and Shinsuke sees him looking back with an expectant frown. “What is it?”</p><p>“Have a good day kiss,” Wakatoshi deadpans. “An essential for a strong marriage.”</p><p>“Oh. Okay.” Shinsuke leans forward to plant a firm kiss on Wakatoshi’s lips. When he pulls back, Wakatoshi looks smugly satisfied. “Have a good day, Wakatoshi.”</p><p>“Have a good day.”</p><p>Shinsuke goes through his usual work day routine: class at 9am, another one at 10:30, until lunch time at 12nn, which he spends with Sugawara and Akaashi.</p><p>“So how’s your married life going?” Sugawara asks as they huddle over the small table in the arts club room, lunch boxes in tow. He’s in charge of the club so he uses all of the perks that go with it, and it’s more private to eat here than in the faculty room. He grins. “How’s the sex?”</p><p>Exactly for discussions like this one.</p><p>“Pretty good so far. Both the marriage and the sex.” Shinsuke starts eating his lunch: tamagoyaki, some greens and tomatoes, karaage. On the container’s lid is a small note from Wakatoshi saying <em>Have a good lunch and day, </em>which Shinsuke’s colleagues find utterly endearing.</p><p>“Kita-sensei’s skin looks brighter than usual. A side effect of sex,” Akaashi says seriously. Most people took him as unapproachable, but Shinsuke likes hanging out with him: Akaashi is very smart to the point of overthinking, but a thoughtful friend nonetheless.</p><p>“Oh, then is that Akaashi’s secret to great skin?” Sugawara teases.</p><p>“Maybe,” Akaashi says with a small smile.</p><p>Sugawara yells at that, until Shinsuke shushes him. Teachers need to be at their best behavior at school to be good role models to students. Or so they should appear to be, while secretly talking about their sex lives in club rooms.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3 (NSFW)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After school hours, Shinsuke plays his role as one of the coaches assigned to the volleyball team. He used to play in high school, never really being a regular player, but was good at things like strategies and training plans. Once the old coach retired he was left with the job along with Takeda-sensei who was originally the one assigned.</p><p>“Kita-sensei,” Takeda greets when he enters the gym to where Kita had already made the club members practice serves. He’s a pleasant man in his 30s, just a little older than Kita, very persistent and likeable, which helped in getting trainings and practice matches for their team. Overall he was someone necessary for the team to have. Kita couldn’t do it all by himself. “Wait, are you still Kita-sensei? You got married recently.”</p><p>“Still Kita.” Kita holds up his left hand to show the shiny silver wedding ring. “It would be too much trouble to change my name in official documents. And everyone still knows me as <em>Kita</em>.” He calls to a student to focus on where he’s hitting the ball.</p><p>Takeda laughs at that. “As practical as ever. But I get it, changing your name on official documents is a pain. Did your husband change <em>his </em>name?”</p><p>“Nope. He didn’t want to bother with it either.” Wakatoshi had said he didn’t know how to process changing his name on official documents so he just won’t change his last name.</p><p>“You two seem to be getting along well, then.” Takeda smiles at him. “Congratulations on getting married.”</p><p>-</p><p>The two of them always get home late because of their respective club supervision duties. Wakatoshi is in charge of the cooking club at school, which is perfect because when they get home too late they can just eat some leftovers from school.</p><p>Most of the time though the two of them just cook some quick and healthy meals and eat together. Wakatoshi asks about Shinsuke’s day everyday, because that’s what the good husband articles say: to ask about your partner’s day, know how they’re doing, let them vent. Shinsuke doesn’t vent very often, just quietly explaining that he told off another teacher for being rude to a student or that he confiscated some cigarettes from a kid in the volleyball team. From what Wakatoshi can tell from the stories, Shinsuke is kind of a scary figure at their school.</p><p>Shinsuke would ask back how Wakatoshi’s day went and Wakatoshi would say if he had fun or not. He taught the kids volleyball at his PE class today. At the cooking club they made and decorated cupcakes. Shinsuke wanted to look at pictures so Wakatoshi showed him some on his phone: cupcakes with pastel pink and blue icing, decorated with some chocolate sea shells. He admired them and said he would definitely buy if they had a bake sale.</p><p>Afterwards they shower and crawl to their bed, falling dead asleep in the span of a few minutes because of how tired they were.</p><p>“Shall we have date night tomorrow?” Shinsuke asks on Thursday during their usual dinner together. Today they’re having meat and potato croquettes, fried to crispy perfection.</p><p>Date night. Wakatoshi almost forgot the most important thing they had to do for their marriage.</p><p>“Yes,” Wakatoshi says firmly, almost angry. Not at Shinsuke of course, a little at himself for forgetting.</p><p>“Wanna eat dinner somewhere? So we don’t have to cook.”</p><p>“Okay. Where?” Wakatoshi is used to cooking for himself so he doesn’t know a lot of restaurants.</p><p>Kita shrugs. “Let’s look at some restaurants online later.”</p><p>“Okay. I’m looking forward to it.”</p><p>The two of them decide on an authentic Italian restaurant and drive straight to it after school. The place was small and homey and had an artsy feel to it, because of the hand-painted walls portraying the streets of Italy. They both get pasta meals that are a little expensive for a teacher’s salary, but the price was worth the taste anyway and they get some complimentary bread sticks and wine.</p><p>“That was a good date,” Wakatoshi declares on the way home. He really liked the pesto he ordered. Maybe they’ll go on more outside dates from now on, even though it was more than a little expensive.</p><p>“We can watch a movie at home if you like. To complete the usual first date routine,” Shinsuke suggests. He really is smart and knows his traditions well.</p><p>They take their showers first and then gather at the living room to watch whatever movie is just starting on TV. What they find is a romance film Wakatoshi isn’t that interested in. He can’t really tell if Shinsuke is interested in it or not because he has the same blank face on while snacking on some microwave popcorn they share with each other.</p><p>The movie is getting interesting, with the young professional couple breaking up and meeting again and shouting at each other, when Wakatoshi feels Shinsuke take his hand and-</p><p>“Are you still hungry, Shinsuke?” Wakatoshi asks in concern. Why was Shinsuke licking and sucking at his fingers? “I will make another batch of popcorn if you want. Just don’t eat my fingers.”</p><p>Shinsuke releases his hand from his mouth with a chuckle. “I’m not trying to eat your hand.” He sucks on Wakatoshi’s index finger, slowly taking it in his mouth.</p><p>It’s a very strange thing to do. Wakatoshi is confused. “You sure you don’t want more popcorn?”</p><p>Shinsuke lets go of his hand again, kissing his knuckles gently before handing him some wet tissues to wipe with. “No thank you.”</p><p>They go back to watching the movie. The man and woman get back together in the end. Wakatoshi could never had guessed such a twist, because the two of them had broken up already at the start of the movie.</p><p>That night they cuddle in bed, tired but comfortable. Wakatoshi feels like he’s forgetting something.</p><p>-</p><p>The <em>something </em>Wakatoshi forgot about turned out to be sex.</p><p>He hadn’t thought about it all week because they were both busy and too tired for it, until Shinsuke is asking during his break from grading homework.</p><p>Shinsuke puts away his glasses and papers and stretches out on their king-size bed. “You wanna have sex?” he asks as if he was talking about the weather. “We haven’t lately.”</p><p>“Yes.” Wakatoshi climbs over his husband to kiss him, slowly at first, but Shinsuke’s hand cupping his dick over his clothing encourages him to speed things up a little and deepen the kiss. He knows by now that Shinsuke likes to have his tongue sucked, so he gives him that and the favor is returned in nibbles on his lower lip.</p><p>Shinsuke helps out by removing his own sweatshirt and Wakatoshi dives right into kissing his neck, relishing in Shinsuke’s moans as he thumbed at his nipples at the same time. Wakatoshi kisses and sucks on his skin hard enough to leave marks, leaving a trail as he roamed down his stomach. He stops just above Shinsuke’s sweatpants, and Shinsuke pulls them down without a word. There’s already a wet spot on Shinsuke’s boxer briefs, which Wakatoshi mouths at a little, making Shinsuke buck up into his mouth with a groan.</p><p>Wakatoshi tugs his underwear off and removes his own clothes. He’ll deal with them later, he thinks as he flings them down the bed. Right now what he has to do is kiss Shinsuke’s smooth, toned thighs.</p><p>“Have you douched?” Wakatoshi asks in between sucking marks on his inner thighs.</p><p>“Yeah.” Shinsuke lets Wakatoshi push his bent legs back to expose his ass more. “Gonna eat me out again?”</p><p>Wakatoshi answers by slowly swiping a flattened tongue against his asshole. He does this repeatedly, before spreading Shinsuke’s ass cheeks with his palms and letting his tongue dart in and out, up and down, until Shinsuke’s thighs are shaking in pleasure. When he looks up he sees Shinsuke watching him while playing with his nipples with both hands, rolling them between his index fingers and thumbs. A terribly arousing sight. Wakatoshi moves up to suck on his balls, spreading a messy trail of saliva on it, and then goes back to fucking Shinsuke with his tongue.</p><p>Shinsuke takes a condom from the box on their bedside table, eyes half-open as he unrolled it on his own cock. One hand goes back to a nipple while the other gives his cock a light stroke. “Suck me off too.”</p><p>Ever the good husband, Wakatoshi obliges, sucking Shinsuke’s cock over the chocolate-flavored condom. He coats his fingers with the same flavored lube and stretches Shinsuke with two fingers through the blowjob, hooking them once in a while, appreciating the moans that spilled from Shinsuke’s open mouth.</p><p>“Close,” Shinsuke whispers when Wakatoshi had gone back to alternating between sucking his balls and shoving his tongue in his ass hole.</p><p>Wakatoshi stops everything, watching Shinsuke squeeze his eyes so tight that there are tears at the corners. He rolls a condom on his own cock, suddenly very aware of how he hasn’t touched himself when he spreads some lube on it. Once he feels that Shinsuke has calmed down a little, he leans down to kiss his cheek. “I’ll make you feel even better.”</p><p>He fucks into Shinsuke in short, rough thrusts, which seem to be well-appreciated because Shinsuke is grabbing on to his biceps with both hands with a grip almost hard enough to hurt. Wakatoshi positions Shinsuke’s legs so that they rest on his shoulders, and that lets him hit a spot that makes Shinsuke moan even louder.</p><p>“Gonna come-” A few pumps of his cock makes Shinsuke spill inside the condom with a cry, his eyes teary as he lets Wakatoshi continue fucking him until the larger man comes too.</p><p>They’re both panting and sweaty when Wakatoshi pulls out. Shinsuke smiles, looking tired but satisfied, opening his arms to let Wakatoshi snuggle under his chin. He still smells nice despite being sweaty. Wakatoshi closes his eyes and snuggles closer to the warmth.</p><p>“You did well,” Shinsuke praises with a kiss at the top of Wakatoshi’s head. “That felt amazing. I came so hard.”</p><p>“You felt good too. Tight.” Gotta compliment your husband always. He grazes his palm down Shinsuke’s stomach to settle at his waist. “I am sorry for the marks. I seem to have left a lot.”</p><p>Shinsuke hums thoughtfully, looking down at his body. Wakatoshi points out where his hickeys are: his inner thighs, his stomach, his chest, and his neck. He even holds up the small mirror from the bedside table to let Shinsuke see.</p><p>“There <em>is </em>a lot,” Shinsuke agrees. He runs his thumb on a particularly large one on his neck, staring at it reflected on the mirror. “But it’s okay. Just go a little easier next time. Or not. I liked when you kissed me all over.”</p><p>Wakatoshi’s dick twitches at that. Compliments were nice to have in a marriage.</p><p>“Clean up and then nap?” Shinsuke asks with a pat on his head.</p><p>“I would like to nap now.” Wakatoshi was sleepy already.</p><p>“No. We need to clean up first. Especially your mouth.”</p><p>Wakatoshi unwraps himself from Shinsuke’s body and trudges to the bathroom.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Miya Atsumu is doing well today.</p>
<p>He was able to answer properly when the math teacher called on him specifically to embarrass him (teachers always thought he was stupid just because he was in the volleyball team), and he was in his best shape all practice. If he serves just like in practice today they would certainly be champions at nationals. That is, if Atsumu’s teammates could keep up with him.</p>
<p>Even Kita-sensei had praised him.</p>
<p>Stern Kita-sensei who never had anything nice to say, always bluntly telling everyone what they needed to work on no matter how hurtful it was. Atsumu remembers almost crying in frustration when he was a first-year and Kita had told him to stop making arrogant plays to show off and focus on being a setter whose sets his teammates can actually hit.</p>
<p>It’s a mystery why Atsumu has the biggest crush on him.</p>
<p>Maybe it’s because Atsumu never cared about trying to be nice and Kita didn’t seem too keen on trying to please others either, never giving people what they want to hear but rather giving them what they <em>need </em>to hear in order to improve. That’s why Atsumu was so happy to get a <em>Good work today, Miya Atsumu. </em>He hums as he gathers his things in his bag.</p>
<p>“Oi, Sumu! Hurry up! I’ll leave ya!” he hears his brother call from outside.</p>
<p>“Shut up! I’ll be right there!” Atsumu yells back. He quickly gathers his gym bag and jogs out of the club room to meet Osamu. “Not hanging out with Suna today?”</p>
<p>“Tired,” Osamu grumbles. That was usually code for <em>I</em> <em>fought with Suna and we’re not talking.</em></p>
<p>Atsumu grins. So he’s the one having the better day today. Serves Osamu right for dumping all his dirty laundry on Atsumu’s side of the room yesterday. He chatters on about today’s victories while Osamu sulks beside him.</p>
<p>It isn’t until they reach near the school gates that Osamu stops in his tracks.</p>
<p>“Oi. Sumu.” Osamu stares in front of them outside of the school gate.</p>
<p>Atsumu looks as well. It’s just Kita entering the passenger seat of a black car with lightly-tinted windows.</p>
<p>“So?” he asks, bored but still watching Kita’s every move. Just his boring old crush Kita entering a boring old car. Nothing to see here.</p>
<p>“Idiot. That might be his boyfriend. If he’s gay,” Osamu points out as they drive away. “It was a guy.”</p>
<p>Atsumu’s eyes widen. “No way.” Kita, have a boyfriend?! Sure he was an adult and had probably had his fair share of relationships… Atsumu is suddenly aware that he had never thought about it ever.</p>
<p>“But we don’t know for sure, maybe he’s married. Maybe he has a wife and kids.” Osamu continues walking.</p>
<p>A wife? Kids?! “Samu, that can’t be! He’s obviously gay too! Have you seen how he sits on the teacher’s chair?!”</p>
<p>“That isn’t a scientifically-proven way to tell if someone is gay.”</p>
<p>Osamu pulls his phone out of his pocket while Atsumu has a crisis. Is Kita-sensei married? Does he have children? What will happen to Atsumu’s plans of dating him when he’s in college?!</p>
<p>“I sent Suna the video of you losing your shit,” Osamu informs him when they’re on the bus. He looks a little happier now. Atsumu’ll let him have that, he’s too busy with his current dilemma. He needs to continue thinking of an explanation.</p>
<p>“I know now, Samu,” Atsumu starts when they’re toeing their shoes off at home. “Kita-sensei is doing carpool!” he decides triumphantly. That’s what he’ll believe for now until proven otherwise.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>“Do you have anything to do tomorrow?” Shinsuke asks after he’s settled comfortably in the passenger’s seat of Wakatoshi’s car. “I’ll be visiting my granny. I want you to come with me.”</p>
<p>It’s been a long week at school, with training for regionals on top midterm exam preparations. But Shinsuke always visits his grandmother every third Saturday of the month, a routine that they both look forward to, and something he will never bail out on.</p>
<p>“Your grandmother.” Wakatoshi looks straight ahead at the road. He’s a great driver, careful and follows all the rules that he can. “She was not there at the wedding.”</p>
<p>“Nope. Because she’s ill. She’s in a nursing home for hospice care.”</p>
<p>“Hospice care. What is that?”</p>
<p>“Hmm.” Shinsuke taps at his cheek thoughtfully. How would he explain it? “Like somewhere for terminally ill people to live comfortably until they die.”</p>
<p>“Then, your grandmother is dying?”</p>
<p>“Well, she’s sick and old, so she figured she’d rather be around healthcare professionals.” Granny had always been rather practical, albeit being over-religious.</p>
<p>“Don’t we have to go there now? Will we make it in time if we visit tomorrow?”</p>
<p>Shinsuke chuckles at Wakatoshi’s tense expression. “Relax. She isn’t going to die now or tomorrow.”</p>
<p>Wakatoshi’s shoulders relax. “That is good to hear. I would like to meet her.”</p>
<p>They leave early the next morning to board the bullet train to Shinsuke’s hometown. It takes a couple of hours and they eat lunch on the train. Wakatoshi naps some of the way and Shinsuke lets him lean on his shoulder the whole time.</p>
<p>“Your hometown is pretty far,” Wakatoshi says sleepily when Shinsuke wakes him up to inform him of their arrival.</p>
<p>“It is,” Shinsuke agrees. “But it’s not like Granny can travel to me.”</p>
<p>“Why not move her somewhere closer to you?” Wakatoshi suggests as they’re walking to the bus stop. “Then you can see each other more often.”</p>
<p>“I suggested that but she says she’s good friends with everyone there and doesn’t want to leave.”</p>
<p>They board the bus in silence, sitting with their shoulders pressed to each other. Once they get to their stop, Shinsuke stops by a florist to get a bouquet of flowers for his grandmother. She always liked any yellow flowers so Shinsuke picks a sunflower arrangement.</p>
<p>“Do you think she will like me?” Wakatoshi asks solemnly. So he <em>was</em> somewhat nervous about it. There were signs of it the night before: he had picked out an expensive-looking suit from the closet, until Shinsuke had talked him against it, and now he’s just wearing some jeans and a pullover.</p>
<p>“I don’t know. Maybe,” Shinsuke answers honestly. “Don’t worry about it and let’s just meet her.”</p>
<p>“Okay.”</p>
<p>They sign in to the building’s visitor form and properly sanitize before being allowed inside Shinsuke’s grandma’s room. Shinsuke is greeted by the familiar sight of his grandmother lying on a hospital bed.</p>
<p>“Shin-chan! Have you been well!” the old woman coos. Shinsuke lets his hair be pet and his neck to be hugged. Granny looks a little more thin every time he comes to visit, but he always tries to just cherish the time that they spend together.</p>
<p>“Granny.” Shinsuke smiles at her genuinely. He gestures for Wakatoshi to come over. He’s been awkwardly standing near the door while Shinsuke talks to his grandmother. “This is my husband which I told you about on the phone.”</p>
<p>“Wakatoshi-kun?” Granny looks delighted. “Would you be a dear and come closer?”</p>
<p>Wakatoshi steps forward to her stiffly. He lets Granny hold his hand to inspect it. “I am Ushijima Wakatoshi. Shinsuke’s husband. It’s nice to meet you.”</p>
<p>“Aren’t you a big and strong boy! Thank you for marrying our Shin-chan!”</p>
<p>“Wakatoshi, Granny’s eyes are bad so you can sit down beside her,” Shinsuke instructs. Wakatoshi obliges, and soon he’s being hugged and patted on the head by Granny.</p>
<p>Soon enough Granny wants to see the wedding pictures, so Shinsuke sits beside her with the printed copies while Wakatoshi peels some apples for the three of them. She only has nice things to say about Wakatoshi thankfully, like how tall and sturdy he was and how his eyes were a pretty shade of green.</p>
<p>Shinsuke cleans up the apple peels when they’re finished eating and visiting hours are almost over. “Granny, I’ll just throw these outside.”</p>
<p>“You do that. I’d like a word with Wakatoshi-kun,” Granny says mischievously.</p>
<p>Shinsuke hopes it’s not anything embarrassing, nodding before stepping out to throw the peels to the compost bin.</p>
<p>He comes back to Wakatoshi smiling a little and Granny laughing. Most likely something embarrassing, but whatever it was, it was between the two of them.</p>
<p>Granny gives the two of them matching smooches on the tops of their heads and also the tightest hugs her frail body could muster.</p>
<p>“See you next month, Shin-chan, Wakatoshi-kun.”</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>It’s always bittersweet leaving Granny. Whenever he gets home from the nursing home Shinsuke always gives himself time to lay in bed and mope about not spending a lot of time with her. Today he feels the same as always, and he lays on his stomach with his face to the pillow right after his shower.</p>
<p>“Shinsuke.”</p>
<p>The bed dips beside him under Wakatoshi’s weight. Shinsuke raises his head to look at him sitting on the bed, his eyebrows furrowed in what would look like a scowl to others but Shinsuke could interpret now as <em>concern.</em></p>
<p>“You are sad. Why?”</p>
<p>“Just thinking about Granny.” Shinsuke gives him a small smile before he buries his face back into his pillow. His voice is muffled as he continues: “I don’t like that we have to live apart. She can die at any moment and I most likely won’t be beside her then.”</p>
<p>Wakatoshi goes silent. Sometimes he takes a while to digest things, so Shinsuke lets him contemplate, listening instead to the quiet whirr of the air conditioner in the room.</p>
<p>“That is sad. Being apart from family is sad,” Wakatoshi finally decides. “I would like to hug you.”</p>
<p>Shinsuke rolls over to lay against Wakatoshi’s chest. He closes his eyes, humming in contentment as a warm hand rested on his shoulder and another set of fingers delicately stroked his hair. “When she’s gone I won’t have any family left anymore.”</p>
<p>“A husband is family.” The vibration in Wakatoshi’s chest as he spoke is comforting. “That’s why I have to hug you when you’re sad.”</p>
<p>“That’s true, a husband is legally family. But the family you’re born with is different. Granny has been with me all my life.”</p>
<p>Shinsuke had grown up with his grandmother because of his parents divorcing and remarrying. Neither of them wanted to have a child to take to their new families, ignoring his existence as they went on to give him step-siblings he wouldn’t even know of until his grandmother had told him. It wasn’t like he needed them; Shinsuke had always been a responsible and mature child and he loved his grandmother, even enjoying helping out Granny with the housework up until she decided to admit herself to a nursing home when he was in university.</p>
<p>“Grandmother said earlier that you can create a new family and marriage is one way. In case you lose the one you were born with. And that I should take care of you since we’re family now, so I have to hug you as tight as I can when you’re sad.”</p>
<p>Oh. That’s right. That was why Granny had always wanted him to marry early. From primary school to middle school it was <em>Shin-chan, you have to find a nice wife so you have someone to take care of you when I can’t, </em>and after coming out to her in high school it was <em>Shin-chan, you have to find yourself a kind husband. </em>He felt the tears prickle at his eyes and hugs Wakatoshi tighter.</p>
<p>“But I can’t hug you as tight as I can. I am very strong. You might get hurt.”</p>
<p>“Yeah,” Shinsuke laughs lightly, sniffling. “Be careful. We’re supposed to take care of each other.”</p>
<p>If Wakatoshi notices him crying quietly he doesn’t mention it, just continues cradling Shinsuke in his arms and stroking his hair. Even if it was just for spousal duty that Wakatoshi does things like this, Shinsuke found it comforting.</p>
<p>“Wakatoshi, when Granny dies, you can leave. You won’t have to be married to me then.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>here is the v predictable drama of kita's granny!!</p>
<p>can i just say i have 0 knowledge about nursing homes and hospice care but this is fanfiction pls ignore any wrongs ganioga</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Wakatoshi doesn’t say anything for a while. When it takes a little longer than what it usually takes Wakatoshi to think about something, Shinsuke shifts to take a look at his face. He’s met with a scowl before Wakatoshi pushes him away from their embrace.</p><p>“No.” Wakatoshi has never raised his voice at him until now. “No divorce.” He takes one of the pillows from the bed before he gets up.</p><p>Shinsuke sits up, rubbing at his shoulder which was a little sore from lying down. “You’re angry? About that?” he asks, confused.</p><p>“Yes.” Wakatoshi stomps to their drawers to rummage through their linen, picking out a neatly-folded fleece blanket. “I am going to sleep in the living room until further notice.”</p><p>Dumbfounded, Shinsuke nods. “Okay. You don’t want to talk about it.” And they were doing so well as husbands today, with the whole visit to Granny and Wakatoshi trying to comfort him with warm hugs. Shinsuke had to ruin it. But he didn’t understand <em>how </em>he had ruined it by saying that. “Good night, Wakatoshi. Sleep well.”</p><p>The door clicks shut behind Wakatoshi as a reply.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p>The next few days are quiet.</p><p>Shinsuke keeps waking up to find Wakatoshi already out of the house for his morning run. He doesn’t seem to be following the same route he usually took with Shinsuke, as he was nowhere in sight during Shinsuke’s own runs. Coming back to the flat he would find bento already prepared and wrapped in cloth, and he would get to preparing breakfast before showering. Wakatoshi would already be done eating breakfast and waiting for him in his car once his morning routine was over. There is a silent drive to Shinsuke’s work place and no <em>have a good day </em>kiss, just a one-sided “have a good day” from Shinsuke.</p><p>“You don’t look too happy,” Akaashi comments in the faculty room one time. He moves his chair next to Shinsuke’s table and stares at him intently. Their tables are right beside each other’s, so they had become close friends even though Akaashi started working there later than Shinsuke. “Marital trouble?”</p><p>“You could say that.” Kita continues grading papers with the answer sheet beside him. “He got mad when I suggested we split up after Granny dies. I don’t understand.”</p><p>“Was he violent to you in any way?” Akaashi asked seriously.</p><p>“No.” Wakatoshi had pushed him away but it wasn’t like it was to hurt him. “He’s just been giving me the silent treatment. We still travel to work together but other than that he’s been avoiding me. He started sleeping on the couch too. I wonder why.”</p><p>Akaashi looks thoughtful. Shinsuke continues grading papers until Akaashi speaks: “Maybe he likes you.”</p><p>“We’ve been together for just over a month though.” No way Wakatoshi could be emotionally attached to him that easily. Although Shinsuke had to admit that he had grown rather fond and attached to Wakatoshi. The two of them got along easily and played the part of husbands well. Being treated coldly made him feel terrible.</p><p>“But there’s probably some attraction. Or…” Akaashi frowns. He does that when he’s thinking and it makes people scared to talk to him because it’s intimidating.</p><p>“Or?”</p><p>“He might have a bad experience with divorce. Like Bokuto-san with his parents. You know how he was really scared to propose before we got engaged? He was terrified we would end up divorcing after a while.”</p><p>Shinsuke thinks about it. That seemed like a more plausible idea than Wakatoshi being in love with him.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p>Wakatoshi’s been in a rather glum mood all week, but he’s always been quiet and serious-looking so it’s not as if it’s anything noticeable to his colleagues and students. He wants to text Tendou about Shinsuke but he knows that his manga artist friend’s manuscript deadlines were near and he most likely didn’t have enough time to sleep, let alone reply to texts. Semi is on tour somewhere, Reon has his own job, and Yamagata has an important volleyball game soon. All his close friends were busy. No need to bother them with something as trivial as marriage.</p><p>Every lunch time at school he eats with Aone who does the school maintenance, rarely talking and just eating in silence. Shinsuke did a good job with the katsudon and salad bento today but Wakatoshi will <em>not </em>compliment him on it because they were Not Talking. He focuses on the tea Aone pours him in a mug and bows to him as thanks.</p><p>After lunch today there is the strange occurrence of Aone quietly giving him a yakisoba bread after they eat.</p><p>“Leftovers?” Wakatoshi wants to know. It would be bad to waste food. Better to give it to someone else.</p><p>Aone shakes his head stiffly. “A snack. You are sad this week. Cheer up.” So someone had actually noticed. Wakatoshi considers the possibility that he and Aone are friends now. He never really knew when it was right to call someone your friend.</p><p>“I am,” Wakatoshi admits. “Thank you, Aone.”</p><p>They bow to each other and go their separate ways.</p><p>After school Wakatoshi drives to Inarizaki where Shinsuke worked. There is no <em>good work today </em>kiss, and Wakatoshi will not ask about Shinsuke’s day no matter how interested he is in how the volleyball team is doing and if Shinsuke scolded any fellow teachers today.</p><p>When they get home, Shinsuke is in charge of making dinner and they eat Wakatoshi’s favorite hayashi rice in silence. Wakatoshi isn’t going to compliment him on this either. No matter how tender and flavorful the beef is.</p><p>It looks like Shinsuke is getting used to the silence. He doesn’t try to talk to Wakatoshi as much as the first few days, and just quietly prepared to go to sleep without saying good night. Fine with Wakatoshi. He watches what is left of a cooking competition show and lays down on the couch. His legs dangle off of the edge because of his height but he had gotten used to it from his nights of sleeping there. It’s too hot to use a blanket so he hasn’t been using one to sleep but for some reason he’s been waking up covered with a blanket every morning. Maybe he covered himself with a blanket while he was asleep, he had good instincts like that.</p><p>He hears footsteps across the living room getting closer until a Kita-shaped shadow is on him and he can practically feel Kita staring at him.</p><p>“Wakatoshi. Let’s talk?”</p><p>Wakatoshi closes his eyes. He doesn’t want to talk. At all. But he feels a familiar weight on his hips, and small hands flat on his chest, so he opens his eyes again to glare at Shinsuke.</p><p>“Don’t try faking. You don’t sleep until past ten.”</p><p>“What are you doing?”</p><p>“I said I want to talk.” Shinsuke has a double chin from this angle which is, when paired with the pouty frown on his face, almost cute. It would be cute if Wakatoshi wasn’t infuriated with him now. And his pale legs showed well with the shorts he was wearing. “Why are you so mad that I suggested divorce?”</p><p>Wakatoshi continues scowling at him. He’s sure it’s a bad angle but he hopes Shinsuke is intimidated anyway. “I don’t want a divorce.”</p><p>“I didn’t say we had to split up now. I said when Granny dies.”</p><p>“I don’t want a divorce now and I don’t want one when your grandmother dies either,” Wakatoshi snaps, his voice a little louder than he intended.</p><p>Shinsuke grips at the front of Wakatoshi’s shirt. “Don’t raise your voice at me, please.”</p><p>“And don’t tell me you want a divorce.” Wakatoshi turns his head to the side to face the couch’s headboard. “It’s not good. It’s hurtful.” He just wants Shinsuke to leave him alone and let him sleep.</p><p>“You were hurt by that?” Shinsuke asks quietly.</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“Divorce is expensive and hurts a lot of people. My parents were divorced.”</p><p>Wakatoshi’s parents divorced when he was eight, following a tumultuous marriage full of broken plates and shouting. They had always argued about everything from Wakatoshi’s lefthandedness to other money-related things Wakatoshi couldn’t understand at a young age, often having his grandmother step in, which made things even worse. She didn’t really like his father. In the end Wakatoshi grew up with a mostly-absent single mother until high school, when he moved to the athlete dorms and was able to have friends to talk to.</p><p>“I see. But unlike your parents, we don’t have a child that will be hurt by this. We can just cleanly part ways like adults.”</p><p>“But why?” Wakatoshi couldn’t understand. He was doing everything he could to be a good husband, diligently doing his job, paying his share of the bills, and helping out with the chores. He already met Shinsuke’s grandmother too and <em>she </em>seemed to like him. He thought Shinsuke liked him enough, too, since they got along well and never even had a big argument until now. “We don’t fight about anything. I thought we were doing well. Do you not like me?”</p><p>“It’s not about getting along well.”</p><p>“Then, what?”</p><p>“This was a marriage out of convenience. Not love. So you might find someone to fall in love with and you can pursue them freely if I’m out of the picture,” Shinsuke explains.</p><p>“And what if I don’t find someone?” Wakatoshi asks.</p><p>“Then, I guess you’re free to stay with me. If you like.” Shinsuke looks thoughtful. “Tell you what. It’s completely up to you if you want to split up or not. Just do it after Granny is gone.”</p><p>“Okay.” Wakatoshi thinks that is a good deal. “Then I won’t leave.”</p><p>“You don’t know if you’ll have a reason to in the future. But.” Shinsuke gives him a small smile. “I like being your husband.”</p><p>Wakatoshi feels his anger dissipate into nothing. He’s had a lot of time to himself to calm down this week after all, but hearing that from Shinsuke felt validating. “Me too.”</p><p>“So please talk to me again. It’s lonely not talking to you. I’m sorry for bringing it up and making you feel bad.”</p><p>“Okay. You are forgiven. I am sorry for fighting you when I was supposed to be comforting you about grandmother as well.”</p><p>“It’s okay. I wasn’t mad about that.” Shinsuke lowers himself so that he’s laying on top of Wakatoshi, hands flat on Wakatoshi’s chest and his chin resting on his hands. “So we’re okay now?”</p><p>“We are okay.” Wakatoshi adds, “I will be sleeping in bed with you again from now on.”</p><p>Shinsuke puckers his lips and Wakatoshi meets his lips in a quick kiss. He smiles at him as he lays back down on his torso. “I’m glad. It was worrying to see you sleep without a blanket all the time. I had to cover you whenever you were asleep so you wouldn’t catch a cold.”</p><p>Oh. So it wasn’t Wakatoshi’s instincts against the weather.</p><p>Shinsuke continues laying on Wakatoshi for a while, the view of the top of his head comforting. Wakatoshi pats it once in a while and also his butt. Slipping a hand inside Shinsuke’s shorts, he feels the smooth skin and gives one cheek a squeeze. It’s soft and firm like good tofu, although Shinsuke would probably not like it much if he told him the comparison. Shinsuke does like his butt being touched though, especially when Wakatoshi slips a finger between the cheeks to tease at his hole, and he shows Wakatoshi his appreciation by shoving his tongue in his mouth.</p><p>“Did you know that make-up sex after fighting feels the best,” Wakatoshi informs him after they pull away and Shinsuke’s face is pink from making out. He read that in an article about relationships. “So it’s okay if we fight sometimes.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6 (NSFW)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>ok i haven't updated this in 80 years but here is an update finally!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Shinsuke.”</p><p>Shinsuke looks up to see Wakatoshi standing at the doorway of their room.</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“Are you busy?”</p><p>“A little. I’m making a meal plan for our week-long training camp next month,” Shinsuke explains, holding up one of the papers for good measure. </p><p>Wakatoshi walks into the room, pulling one of the beanbags to where Shinsuke’s desk is to sit beside him. “Let me see.” He eyes the paper that Shinsuke hands him with scrutiny, before announcing that he has a few suggestions for the meal plan.</p><p>Which are honestly some good suggestions. Wakatoshi had a lot of opinions on what foods high school athletes would like that would be good for them. Taking all his suggestions into consideration, they revised the meal plan more thoroughly until Shinsuke was satisfied with the result.</p><p>“Was I able to help?” Wakatoshi asks quietly once they are finished.</p><p>“Yes.” Shinsuke tugs him over to his chest. It’s kind of strange to be taller than Wakatoshi with the heights of their chairs, but Wakatoshi seems happy to be in Shinsuke’s arms and getting head pats, clinging to his torso like a giant koala. “Thank you. You did well, baby.”</p><p>“Why are you calling me a baby?” Wakatoshi asks against him. “I am an adult man.”</p><p>Shinsuke smiles. He’s so clueless about things but that was a huge part of what made Wakatoshi so endearing. “Not baby like infant. Baby as in a term of endearment, like <em>sweetheart</em>. Or darling.”</p><p>“It is strange that the word baby is used for that. Why does it mean two things?”</p><p>“I wonder. Do you dislike it?”</p><p>Wakatoshi thinks about that. “I don’t think it is bad because it means <em>sweetheart.</em> It is just confusing. How will I know if you mean <em>sweetheart </em>or <em>infant?”</em></p><p>Shinsuke can’t help but laugh at that. “Don’t worry, it will always mean sweetheart if I use it on you.”</p><p>Wakatoshi’s grip around him tightens. “Then that is good.”</p><p>They stay in that somewhat awkward position for a while, Shinsuke quietly petting Wakatoshi’s hair that the taller man seems to be pleased about.</p><p>“Oh, right. Before I forget to tell you, I’ll be out of town for a week next month for that training camp.”</p><p>Wakatoshi looks up at him with a frown. “I thought the training camp would be here.”</p><p>“No, it’s in another school since we’re having a joint training with other schools.”</p><p>“You will miss date night?”</p><p>So <em>that </em>was what he was concerned about. “I won’t be home until Sunday afternoon, so I’ll miss our usual Friday or Saturday night schedule.”</p><p>Wakatoshi still seems a little down at not following the schedule. Shinsuke got it. He too wasn’t fond of changing schedules.</p><p>“But, we’ll have an extra long date as soon as I get home. Is that okay with you?”</p><p>There’s a little frown on his face that Shinsuke would call a <em>pout </em>only because Wakatoshi was sulking. “As long as you keep your end of the bargain of still having the weekly date night.”</p><p>“Of course. I promise.”</p><p>-</p><p>The entire training camp was an onslaught of <em>things to do </em>for Shinsuke which included: socializing with fellow teachers, preparing meals for students, and supervising the practice matches. His students were doing pretty well in terms of morale, never faltering whenever they lost and just taking it as fuel to do their best in the next practice matches.</p><p>Well, until a student got into a fight with a kid from another school during the third day.</p><p>Miya Atsumu was one of the stars of the team. A setter who had the hunger to win and both the skill and determination to reach victory, and also quite an insightful student whenever Shinsuke had him as a student in his literature class. Right now in the makeshift office room in the old boarding house they rented though, Miya felt just like a little boy awaiting to be scolded.</p><p>“I am not going to ask why you did it,” Shinsuke tells the sulking, bruised boy in front of him calmly. “You know what you did was wrong no matter what the reason was. The teachers from the other school want you to write an apology letter. It would be best if you do that and not do something like this again if you don’t want your volleyball career and school life to be over.”</p><p>Shinsuke puts a piece of paper in front of him and Miya slides it over to himself.</p><p>“Even though it was for you,” Miya grumbles as he scribbled angrily on the paper.</p><p>“What was that?”</p><p>“Nothin’. I said I was reflectin’ on my actions,” Miya says sarcastically.</p><p>“Why would you have punched someone for me? Would I like that?”</p><p>“Because!!” Miya yells, getting up and throwing the pen to the ground. “That guy was talkin’ ‘bout your butt!! How round it was and how he wanted to do disgusting things to you, ugh!! I don’t think that was a very respectful way to talk about you and it pissed me off, okay!” Miya sits down with a huff. “An’ now I’m the bad one an’ you don’t even wanna listen to my explanation.”</p><p>“I see.” Shinsuke picks up the pen off the ground, then straightens up in his seat. He bows his head to Miya. He knew when to admit he was wrong and he thinks teachers should be able to apologize to their students when they are in the wrong. “I’m sorry I didn’t ask for an explanation, Miya.” He thought he knew what was good for his students, but maybe he should take Sugawara’s advice to get to know his students and listen to them more.</p><p>“You don’t really have to say sorry.”</p><p>Shinsuke looks up. “I see. Well, I’m sorry anyway. But I will still take the apology letter for documentation purposes. You may leave. Get that black eye checked one more time.”</p><p>Miya gives him a small bow before turning to go.</p><p>“Wait, Miya.”</p><p>Miya stops and turns his head back to look at him.</p><p>Shinsuke smiles at him. “Thanks for sticking up for me. You were really cool.”</p><p>Miya’s face turns red in addition to purple, and he bows one more time before running off.</p><p>-</p><p>It’s the fourth day into the training camp that Shinsuke receives a text from his husband. Right. He hadn’t been able to contact Wakatoshi much because he was so busy, but he managed to get in a few <em>good morning </em>and <em>good night </em>texts in there just to keep in touch with him.</p><p>From: Wakatoshi</p><p>
  <em>I wish to visit grandmother.</em>
</p><p>To: Wakatoshi</p><p>
  <em>Grandmother as in your grandmother or my granny?</em>
</p><p>From: Wakatoshi</p><p>
  <em>Your grandmother “granny”. I will await instructions on how to go.</em>
</p><p>Curious, Shinsuke texts him a whole map on how to go to the nursing home Granny resided in. He didn’t know why Wakatoshi would want to visit his grandmother, but he was thankful anyway that the old woman would have a visitor. There wasn’t a lot of people who visited her aside from Shinsuke and he hasn’t had any time to visit her this month yet.</p><p>From: Wakatoshi</p><p>
  <em>Thank you. Is there something I can bring her?</em>
</p><p>To: Wakatoshi</p><p>
  <em>Fruits. She likes apples.</em>
</p><p>From: Wakatoshi</p><p>
  <em>Understood. I will get flowers as well.</em>
</p><p>To: Wakatoshi</p><p>
  <em>Thank you. Take care. ( ˘ ³˘)❤</em>
</p><p>From: Wakatoshi</p><p>
  <em>How do you type a face and heart?</em>
</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>The training camp finished with a feeling of accomplishment for everyone. Miya even became good friends with the guy he punched Terushima, which was a strange turn of events to Shinsuke. Youngsters may be more forgiving than he thought they would be.</p><p>But more importantly, Shinsuke could go home. It wasn’t any surprise that he missed Wakatoshi this week. He had grown attached to his husband over the months and really enjoyed his company. So it didn’t go unnoticed how giddy he felt inside when he saw Wakatoshi’s car by the school gates on Sunday afternoon.</p><p>“Hi, Wakatoshi,” Shinsuke greets as he slid into the passenger seat. He gives Wakatoshi a peck on the lips and two pats on the cheek before moving to secure his seatbelt. “Have you been well?”</p><p>“Yes.” Wakatoshi looks like he would have liked to kiss more but he is on driver duty and he wants to get home as soon as possible to get dinner done. At least Shinsuke is here with him now. There’s a warm feeling in Shinsuke’s chest that blooms when Wakatoshi looks at him fondly before driving off.</p><p>“How’s Granny?”</p><p>“She enjoys the historical drama that airs in the morning. We watched together,” Wakatoshi reports. To which Shinsuke hums in acknowledgement. He already knew about his grandmother’s favorite drama, he even got her some of the merchandise for her birthday last year. “She said the farmer boy protagonist reminds her of you. I think he is similar in terms of good looks but I prefer Shinsuke.”</p><p>Shinsuke chuckles at that. “Aren’t you sweet today.”</p><p>“Yes. I tried that sweet tea with balls that you like.” Wakatoshi gestures to the cupholder beside them where a cup of bubble tea sat. Maybe he took things literally again and thought he was referring to the taste of his lips when they kissed. Which Shinsuke also thought was pretty sweet. “I got you some.”</p><p>“Oh, for me?” It didn’t even occur to Shinsuke how much he craved the sweet drink, so he was very thankful that Wakatoshi thought to get his favorite treat for him. He quickly pokes the straw at the top and starts drinking, happily chewing on the pearls. “Thank you, Wakatoshi.”</p><p>“You are very welcome.”</p><p>Shinsuke offers him a sip during a red light and smiles at how cute Wakatoshi looks chewing seriously as he drived.</p><p>-</p><p>As soon as the front door clicks shut behind them, Wakatoshi is already pushing Shinsuke against a wall and kissing him roughly. It’s a little surprising to have Wakatoshi this aggressive but Shinsuke likes it anyway, adores how Wakatoshi’s hands are already under his shirt and warming his side with a warm large hand, while Wakatoshi’s other hand stays under his jaw to angle his face.</p><p>“Hey,” Shinsuke starts when Wakatoshi is mouthing at his neck. He’s sure it’s not comfortable for Wakatoshi to be doing this there with their difference in height. “Wanna take this to bed?” He yelps in surprise when Wakatoshi picks him up bridal style and clings on to his shoulders as he’s carried hurriedly to the bed. He’s dropped on to the bed a little roughly and he winces.</p><p>Wakatoshi looks him over in worry. “I’m sorry,” he says solemnly. “Are you hurt anywhere?”</p><p>“It kind of hurt my butt, but it’s nothing serious.” Shinsuke smiles and cups his husband’s cheek, running his thumb along the cheekbone until Wakatoshi is leaning to his touch and the crease between his eyebrows is gone. “You want to continue?”</p><p>Wakatoshi nods. He leans closer to give him a chaste kiss, a quiet apology, then opens his mouth to entwine his tongue with Shinsuke’s, hot and wet and desperate for more. His hands slide on his chest, bunching up Shinsuke’s shirt around his armpits so that he can press kisses on his sternum before roaming across Shinsuke’s chest area.</p><p>“I don’t want penetration until after dinner. Is that okay?” Shinsuke asks evenly.</p><p>Wakatoshi looks up at him, eyes hazy and a string of saliva between his tongue and the nipple he had been lapping at. “Okay. Can I suck you off?”</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>Wakatoshi doesn’t waste any time taking off Shinsuke’s slacks, Shinsuke helping out by kicking them off when they reach his ankles. He gives his cock a light rub through the clothing and Shinsuke twitches visibly. So the two of them hadn’t touched in a week and he was already like this.</p><p>“Wakatoshi, take off your clothes too. I want to see you.”</p><p>Nodding, Wakatoshi gets up to take off his shirt and pants quickly, his eyes trained on Shinsuke the whole time. There’s a visible wet spot on his underwear that Shinsuke would like to taste, but Wakatoshi seemed like he wanted to do most of the work today, so he lets him do what he wants. He knew Wakatoshi liked to be told what to do though.</p><p>“Underwear too.”</p><p>Wakatoshi’s cock is hard and leaking when he takes off his underwear, and he gives it a light pump before moving to Shinsuke again. Shinsuke almost wants to be fucked <em>now </em>but he knew the preparation would take too long since they haven’t done it for a while. His desires would have to wait until dinner. “Can I now?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>Wakatoshi pulls down his boxer briefs, lapping at the underside of Shinsuke’s cock before taking the head into his mouth and then taking more and more of it with each bob of his head. Shinsuke wants to thrust up to his mouth but he doesn’t want to hurt him, so he just settles with stroking Wakatoshi’s scalp and enjoying the pleasure he is being given. He’s already panting hard a few minutes in, eyes squeezed shut as Wakatoshi coaxed louder and louder moans from him by hollowing his cheeks around his cock and sucking on him faster.</p><p>“I’m not gonna last,” Shinsuke says breathlessly. “Can I come soon?”</p><p>Wakatoshi gives him a small nod and maintains the pace until Shinsuke is tapping on his shoulder, and he pumps Shinsuke’s cock with his hand, aiming at his open mouth but getting splashed on the cheek too, and milking the last few drops of cum with his mouth so that Shinsuke is whimpering with the intensity of his orgasm. He opens his eyes to see Wakatoshi staring at him, stroking his cock.</p><p>“Still haven’t come?” Shinsuke asks softly.</p><p>Wakatoshi nods. Shinsuke’s legs are still shaking from the aftershocks of his orgasm when he beckons Wakatoshi over to kneel in front of his face, still stroking his cock.</p><p>“Tell me when you’re close,” Shinsuke says gently, his fingertips gently scraping along the underside of Wakatoshi’s balls just the way he likes it. It doesn’t take long for Wakatoshi to come as well and Shinsuke sucks him off through his orgasm, until Wakatoshi is overstimulated and pushing him away to lean a hand on the headboard, breathing hard.</p><p>“Come here.” Shinsuke pats the space beside him on the bed. Wakatoshi does as he’s told, laying on his side so that the two of them were facing each other. He looks rather erotic with cum on his cheek. Shinsuke wipes it off with his fingers to slip them into Wakatoshi’s mouth and his husband’s lips part obediently, tongue licking at Shinsuke’s fingers until they’re clean. Once he’s done Shinsuke pulls him for a kiss on the lips and rather sweaty cuddling, with their arms wrapped loosely around each other and Wakatoshi’s chin on Shinsuke’s head.</p><p>“Would you like me to prepare a bath?” Wakatoshi asks, followed by a quick kiss on the top of Shinsuke’s head that makes him feel a little warm inside.</p><p>“Mm. No thanks. I’ll shower. Unless you wanted to take a bath together?”</p><p>“No.” Now Wakatoshi seems a little mad. But the tightening of his arms around Shinsuke didn’t seem very angry. “I have to prepare dinner. I am making a surprise.”</p><p>“Oh.” Shinsuke smiles against his chest. He pulls back to kiss Wakatoshi’s cheek. Sweet, sweet Wakatoshi announcing a surprise. “I’m looking forward to it.”</p><p>-</p><p>The surprise is not finished yet once Shinsuke is out of the shower, and Wakatoshi glares at him like he’s offended his ancestors once Shinsuke toes into the kitchen. It doesn’t appear as if Wakatoshi was doing anything different tonight, there weren’t any candles and rose petals scattered around like someone trying to create a romantic dinner. But of course they weren’t really <em>romantically </em>involved. Shinsuke shakes off the feeling of disappointment building inside of him. It’s not like those were his thing anyway.</p><p>“You need any help?” he asks Wakatoshi instead.</p><p>“No. I am almost finished. You sit down and relax.”</p><p>Shinsuke pulls a chair for himself and sits down. He watches Wakatoshi’s back as he prepares the food in gym shorts and a shirt and a navy blue apron. The food he’s preparing smells like something fried, with some sort of sauce, but he isn’t really sure what it is. Oh well, he’ll enjoy the surprise later on.</p><p>“I am finished,” Wakatoshi announces when he is. He brings Shinsuke a little tray of food and serves him what’s on it like he was working in a restaurant: a colorful tomato salad and a plate of heart-shaped hamburger steak with some rice and rich brown sauce.</p><p>He’s not sure why it’s a surprise. Maybe because it’s heart-shaped.</p><p>“Looks delicious,” Shinsuke comments. “The heart is cute.”</p><p>“A student suggested to make hearts for aesthetic purposes in impressing someone you like. It is popular with high school girls,” Wakatoshi explains as he set his own serving on the table and took the seat opposite Shinsuke’s.</p><p>“Oh. It looks nice.” Shinsuke puts his hands together. He tries not to think too deep into Wakatoshi’s words. <em>Someone you like. </em>“Thank you for the meal.”</p><p>Wakatoshi copies his pose. “Thank you for the meal.”</p><p>They eat in silence, Wakatoshi glancing over at Shinsuke as if he wanted to see his reaction, but Shinsuke took a while to chew carefully before saying anything.</p><p>“It’s tofu,” Shinsuke points out. So that was the surprise. Tofu hamburgers were always the first thing he said whenever someone asked him his favorite food.</p><p>“Yes. Grandmother said you were fond of tofu hamburgers. But I don’t think bread is for dinner so I made steak,” Wakatoshi explains. He fidgets in holding his spoon and fork. Cute. “Would you have rather had bread?”</p><p>“No, you thought well to have rice for dinner,” Shinsuke says with a smile. “It’s delicious, Wakatoshi.”</p><p>Wakatoshi gives a curt nod. He continues eating, taking a pause in between bites to talk. “I am glad it is to your liking.”</p><p>Shinsuke chuckles. “Why are you talking like I’m a customer.”</p><p>“Because. I wanted to make something you would like.” He sounded so earnest that Shinsuke wants to kiss him right then and there. But no, dinner first, and then sex. “Were you surprised?”</p><p>“Yes. This was a lovely surprise and I enjoyed it very much. Thank you.”</p><p>Wakatoshi doesn’t smile much, but the slight upward quirk of the ends of his lips almost makes Shinsuke feel like he’s in love.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>small mention of implied underage sex in this chapter! warning just in case it makes anyone uncomfortable</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The week-long break that Shinsuke is out of town is a strange experience to Wakatoshi. He hasn’t lived alone for a couple of months now, and it is a little more strange because the flat was originally Shinsuke’s and Wakatoshi hasn’t lived in it on his own before. But he manages. He knows he is just a little lonely without Shinsuke and he tries to make up for it by becoming more active in his friends’ group chats and focusing on the cooking club.</p>
<p>The cooking club that Wakatoshi manages at school is a little more relaxing of a job than if Wakatoshi was managing a sports club, but he takes his job seriously anyway, even enjoys it more than his actual job as a PE teacher. He’s mostly in charge of getting ingredients and teaching students some recipes if there was anything in particular that they wanted to do. Sometimes they’ll have small bake sales for the school or specific charities the students choose and Wakatoshi will help out with that too.</p>
<p>He enters the club room late in the afternoon to lock it up but finds someone still there.</p>
<p>“Yachi. You are still here.”</p>
<p>The small girl panics in the middle of frosting cupcakes. Wakatoshi thinks she is less afraid of him now, because she usually spilled whatever she was holding whenever he talked to her before and now no ingredients were wasted. “U-Ushijima-sensei! I’m so sorry I’m not finished yet, I will finish quickly and clean up!”</p>
<p>“If you hurry your frosting will look messy.”</p>
<p>“Then! I won’t hurry!”</p>
<p>“Good.” Wakatoshi takes a look at the cupcakes lined up on the table. He noticed before that Yachi was fond of star designs which he always sees her use, and now her cupcakes have same motif: royal blue icing swirled expertly on top of a chocolate cake, with yellow chocolate stars splattered artistically. “These look very nice, Yachi. It is a result of you working hard at practicing baking everyday.”</p>
<p>Yachi smiles wide and happy. “Thank you very much, sir!”</p>
<p>Wakatoshi gives her pointers on decorating and is given a sample cupcake to taste that he has no problems about. The cake was moist and the frosting wasn’t too sweet as he found most high school girls to be fond of making. He helps out with putting some of the cupcakes in a take-home box while Yachi puts the prettiest ones in a fancier box.</p>
<p>“Is it a present for somebody?” Wakatoshi asks.</p>
<p>Yachi flinches. Her face immediately turns red. Wakatoshi wonders if she feels unwell. “For someone I like,” she explains. “I’m not that good at baking but I hope it will make that person happy,” she says shyly.</p>
<p>Most of the time the students who joined the cooking club were girls trying to impress the person the person they like. Tendou had explained it to Wakatoshi sometime ago and it seems like the ability to cook is something that people find attractive.</p>
<p>Did Shinsuke find it attractive when Wakatoshi cooked for him? When he thought about it Shinsuke was very attractive but Wakatoshi didn’t really attribute it to his cooking skills.</p>
<p>“I am sure they will like it,” Wakatoshi assures her. The cupcakes are delicious and beautiful. “When you make food for someone it makes them happy.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, I hope so too!” Yachi smiles a little. “Do you cook for someone you like as well, Ushijima-sensei?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” Wakatoshi confirms. “My husband.”</p>
<p>“Oh, sensei is married?” Yachi asks, surprised. She immediately panics. “I didn’t mean you were ugly or unattractive and can’t get married! I’m sorry!”</p>
<p>“I did not take any offense. I am rather interested in seeing how my students try to do things for people they like.” All Wakatoshi had absorbed so far in his years of being club adviser was that his students liked to use a lot of hearts in their baked goods. “I am not very good at being affectionate to my husband. Do you have any advice?”</p>
<p>“Oh!” Yachi looks flustered at being asked for advice but looks thoughtful anyway. “I think it would be nice to make him the things that you know he likes, like cooking his favorite for dinner? Maybe?” She looks unsure but Wakatoshi thinks it’s stellar advice.</p>
<p>Shinsuke’s favorite. Wakatoshi knew he liked the sweet tea that you drink with a straw as Shinsuke always dropped by the store to buy some, but he didn’t know what Shinsuke liked for <em>dinner.</em> “I will find out his favorites through his grandmother,” Wakatoshi concludes.</p>
<p>He helps Yachi clean up and lock the club room and gets a free cupcake to take home for himself.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Wakatoshi isn’t at all nervous when he comes to visit Shinsuke’s grandmother. It just takes him an hour more to look for the nursing home because he gets lost and has to take a taxi to get to the exact place, but he manages to drop by a flower shop to get some flowers to give her along with the apples he already brought so he thought things were going pretty smoothly.</p>
<p>“Good morning,” Wakatoshi greets the old woman as he enters the room she was staying at. “It is Ushijima Wakatoshi. Shinsuke’s husband.”</p>
<p>Granny looks up at him and squints. Wakatoshi knew she had bad eyesight so he moves closer and she smiles in recognition, opening her arms to fling them around his neck. That was a very Shinsuke thing to do, opening arms for a hug, maybe he got the habit from his grandmother. “If it isn’t Wakatoshi-kun!” she says happily.</p>
<p>“I am here to visit you,” Wakatoshi announces when he is sitting beside granny. “And ask some things.”</p>
<p>“If they’re questions about Shin-chan, I’ll know a lot of things,” the old woman laughs.</p>
<p>“Yes. Would you like some apples?”</p>
<p>“Would you be a dear to slice them for me? And also can you open the television please, my morning drama is almost on.”</p>
<p>The drama grandmother likes is a historical one about a poor farmer boy who becomes friends with a nobleman’s daughter. She says the farmer boy reminds her of Shin-chan because he is handsome. Wakatoshi points out that Shinsuke is not partially bald with a top-knot but he agrees that Shinsuke is indeed very handsome and that makes grandmother laugh happily.</p>
<p>“Sorry to take your time to watch the drama,” Granny apologizes. “What did you want to talk about?”</p>
<p>“I enjoyed the drama immensely. I think I will watch it with Shinsuke when we have the time.” Wakatoshi really did, but back to his original purpose of coming to visit. “I would like to ask about Shinsuke’s favorite food.”</p>
<p>“Oh, that’s a very easy question! You could have just called me to ask,” Granny laughs.</p>
<p>Oh. Wakatoshi didn’t think of that.</p>
<p>“It’s tofu hamburgers,” Granny answers. “It’s been that boy’s favorite ever since I tried to make it out of a recipe.”</p>
<p>“Hamburger made out of tofu?” Wakatoshi imagines a hamburger with tofu as the bread and patty. “That sounds very strange. Please give me the recipe so I can make it for Shinsuke.”</p>
<p>“Oh, it’s in my head currently and I can’t write very well, my hands shake. Would you be okay with writing it down while I tell you, Wakatoshi-kun?”</p>
<p>“That would be very helpful.”</p>
<p>The rest of Wakatoshi’s visiting hours with Granny are spent learning how to cook Shinsuke’s favorite meal, and listening to some other details about Shinsuke’s childhood: how he grew up on the family farm and liked growing vegetables. Wakatoshi also took note that Shinsuke liked ohagi and other traditional sweets.</p>
<p>The surprise Wakatoshi had planned was a success: Shinsuke really liked the tofu hamburger steak and gave Wakatoshi warm smiles and fond kisses along with praise for his cooking.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Saturdays are for grocery shopping.</p>
<p>It used to be Sundays for Wakatoshi, because he wanted to get chores done just before the weekend ended, but Shinsuke insisted that there were more good deals and less people on Saturday mornings which Wakatoshi found out was correct the first time they went shopping together.</p>
<p>Shinsuke is an extremely efficient grocery shopper: brings his own shopping bags, makes a complete list that he doesn’t deviate from and has even memorized the layout of the store from years of shopping here.</p>
<p>Wakatoshi is worried that he might not be feeling well enough today to go grocery shopping.</p>
<p>“Are you okay?” he asks with a frown. “Do you want to go home?”</p>
<p>“Yes. Why?” Shinsuke did not look fine. His cheeks are pinker than usual as they’re walking from the parking lot into the store hand-in-hand, seemingly unable to look at Wakatoshi properly.</p>
<p>“Your face is red,” Wakatoshi points out. That makes Shinsuke’s fever more apparent. “Should I check your temperature?”</p>
<p>“I am fine. Just.” Shinsuke thinks for a while as they enter the store. He decides when they’re where the carts are and lets go of Wakatoshi’s hand to take one. “Shy. A little flustered.”</p>
<p>Now those weren’t really emotions Wakatoshi was familiar with, especially that specific combination. He frowns as he takes the shopping cart. They start walking to the canned goods aisle. “Why?”</p>
<p>“I’m just surprised.” Shinsuke picks up a few cans of tuna from a shelf and places them in the cart. “You haven’t held my hand until now.”</p>
<p>“Oh.” Wakatoshi honestly didn’t think about it. He just felt like holding Shinsuke’s hand so he did, and it was a very small very warm hand with long and slender fingers that Wakatoshi felt comfortable holding. He wheels the cart to where Shinsuke is picking out canned mushrooms. Maybe it was the same as children who were embarrassed to be affectionate with their parents in public. He and Shinsuke were family after all. “Is it embarrassing to hold hands with your husband in public?”</p>
<p>“No. Nothing wrong with it. Can you get that for me, please.” Shinsuke checks his handwritten list before pointing to a can of beans on the top shelf. “Thank you. It was just a sudden very intimate gesture.”</p>
<p>Wakatoshi is still confused with that explanation. He quietly pushes the cart along to wherever Shinsuke walks to and picks up the seaweed snacks and rice crackers he wants when they pass by the shelf. He just doesn’t understand why someone would be shy if holding hands in public wasn’t something to be embarrassed about. He frowns. “You disliked it. Me holding your hand.”</p>
<p>“No.” Shinsuke looks up at him. His cheeks are still pink but it doesn’t look like he’s mad with the little smile gracing his lips. “More like I liked it too much. It made me happy.”</p>
<p>“Oh.” That doesn’t make any sense to Wakatoshi at all, but the most important thing is that Shinsuke is happy. “Me too. Can we hold hands again?”</p>
<p>“We need our hands for grocery shopping, Wakatoshi.”</p>
<p>“You’re right.”</p>
<p>They continue shopping, Shinsuke asking Wakatoshi’s preference on condiment brands and Wakatoshi helping out by getting things they need that were perched on high shelves. Overall they made a great team grocery shopping and didn’t take a long time on shopping trips at all.</p>
<p>“Oh. Suna and Miya.”</p>
<p>Wakatoshi looks up to see two tall teenage boys at the meat section where they were at. They both had very bored-looking expressions on their faces before Shinsuke had talked to them, and they quickly became stiff and bowed.</p>
<p>“These are my students. They’re in the volleyball club,” Shinsuke explains to Wakatoshi. He turns back to the boys. “This is my husband. Are you boys making hotpot?”</p>
<p>“Er… Yeah. Rin’s- I mean, Suna-kun’s parents are out of town and so we’ll hang out later,” the one with gray hair explains. Then he follows Shinsuke’s gaze to the basket he’s holding and tries to nonchalantly put it behind him. Very suspicious. “Um. We’ll take our leave now. Nice meeting you here, Kita-sensei.” He turns his heel but stop immediately when Shinsuke calls for them.</p>
<p>“Miya. Suna.”</p>
<p>The two turn back to look at him, looking a little scared. “Yes?” the one with the weird flyaway hair asks.</p>
<p>“Give me your basket.”</p>
<p>The one called Miya guiltily hands Shinsuke the basket.</p>
<p>“You know these are not for high school students to buy,” Shinsuke says calmly as he took a small bottle of lube and a box of condoms from the basket.</p>
<p>The two boys sulk. “Yes.”</p>
<p>Shinsuke stares at them in a way that Wakatoshi is sure is intimidating to them. “I’ll buy them for you,” he says at last. “We’re almost finished shopping, so we’ll wait for you at the exit.”</p>
<p>"What?” Miya asks, dumbfounded.</p>
<p>“You’re not going to yell at us about abstinence?” Suna looks equally shocked.</p>
<p>“No. Whether or not you students explore is completely up to you, but I would like that you are safe if you decide to. And staff wouldn’t let you kids buy these anyway.” Shinsuke dropped the items into the basket. “Do you understand?”</p>
<p>“Yes.” The two nod, faces red as how Shinsuke had been earlier.</p>
<p>“Although I do have doubts about those brands. They are very cheap and could be made with unsafe materials. Would you be open to recommendations?”</p>
<p>“W-Whatever you think would be good… We’ll be in your care.” Miya gives a small bow and his friend? Boyfriend? Wakatoshi isn’t sure what their relationship is but the other boy follows.</p>
<p>“Good. Okay.” Shinsuke nods. "See you later.”</p>
<p>“Yes. Thank you very much.”</p>
<p>Shinsuke turns back to his husband. "Guess we’re going back to the condoms aisle.”</p>
<p>Wakatoshi nods, wheeling the cart back to said direction.</p>
<p>The two boys do meet them at the exit, bowing gratefully but very awkwardly while Shinsuke explained to them how to put on a condom properly.</p>
<p>“Do you think it’s a bad decision?” Shinsuke asks when they’re in the car. “Do you think I should have scolded them for even thinking about sex like other teachers would?”</p>
<p>“It was as you said. It’s completely up to them if they want to explore,” Wakatoshi says. He doesn’t know if he would have done the same if he had been in that situation. He doesn’t go out of his way to do things for his students often.</p>
<p>“Being a teacher is tough, isn’t it? It’s almost similar to parenting even though we don’t have a child. You never know when you’re doing too much or too little. No one knows what the right way to approach any student is.”</p>
<p>“That is true.” Wakatoshi often wanted to ask students if something was wrong when they looked troubled, but he isn’t sure if that would make them feel uncomfortable and if there was anything he could even do to help. “But for this situation, I think it was admirable that you stepped in as an adult figure.”</p>
<p>“I see.” When Wakatoshi glances at him during a red light, Shinsuke is smiling. “That makes me feel better. Thank you for being here to for me to talk to, honey.”</p>
<p><em>Honey. </em>That’s new. “Is that also like baby as in sweetheart?” Wakatoshi clarifies just in case he’s misunderstanding.</p>
<p>"Yes. Yes it is, baby.”</p>
<p>They split the shopping bags when they get home, Wakatoshi deliberately carrying the heavier ones so Shinsuke wouldn’t have a hard time.</p>
<p>“I’ll hold that,” Wakatoshi offers.</p>
<p>“You don’t really- Oh.” Shinsuke looks surprised at his hand being held but Wakatoshi already confirmed earlier that it’s something he likes. He looks cheerful enough right now too, smiling and swaying their joined hands lightly. “Yes, please.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The cliche sickfic chapter!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just a very short update because I was having a hard time writing!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shinsuke sits up and stretches his arms as soon as his alarm rings. He didn’t really need the alarm as he woke up the exact same time every morning for his run, but just in case he didn’t, he set it up every night diligently.</p>
<p>His husband is still asleep, his back towards Shinsuke, bundled up in the blanket and his hair sticking up in different directions. Shinsuke knows his hair probably isn’t any better but he gently runs a hand over Wakatoshi’s hair anyway in an attempt to smooth it out. “Wakatoshi, time for our run.”</p>
<p>Wakatoshi mumbles something that Shinsuke can’t understand.</p>
<p>“What did you say?”</p>
<p>“I said ‘not going’,” Wakatoshi says, his voice a little softer than what Shinsuke is used to.</p>
<p>“Why not? Are you feeling unwell?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” says the blanket burrito.</p>
<p>Shinsuke gently maneuvers Wakatoshi to lay on his back, brushing his sweaty bangs away to feel his forehead. The fever was apparent even though Wakatoshi had the usual slightly frowning expression on his face, but Kita checks for his temperature anyway to make sure.</p>
<p>“I will stay at home,” Wakatoshi mumbles after they had confirmed that he is sick. “I’ll text Washijou-sensei to inform of my absence. I’m sorry I can’t help make breakfast today.”</p>
<p>“It’s okay, no need to be sorry.” Shinsuke pats his head. Wakatoshi sure took his duties as a husband seriously, so Shinsuke will take his own duties seriously. “I’ll stay here and take care of you.”</p>
<p>Wakatoshi looks at him in disapproval. “You don’t need to. I am used to living alone and taking care of myself.”</p>
<p>“But you’re married. You have me now. Isn’t it my job to make sure you’re taken care of?” Shinsuke presses a kiss to his temple when Wakatoshi frowns deeper. He pats Wakatoshi’s cheek lightly before getting up to get some medicine and supplies and to inform the school that he wouldn’t be coming to work today. He also texts Suga and Akaashi to check on the classes he missed, to which Suga replies that Shinsuke better enjoy his ever first absence in his years of teaching.</p>
<p>The rest of the morning is spent cooking porridge, helping Wakatoshi eat (which the taller man frowned upon, thinking it unnecessary, but he still obediently opened his mouth whenever Shinsuke had another spoonful to feed him), and doing other chores when Wakatoshi is asleep.</p>
<p>“I can’t sleep,” Wakatoshi says at the kitchen doorway not more than an hour later when Shinsuke is washing dishes. Glancing at him over his shoulder, Shinsuke sees him gripping a pillow tight in his hands, looking groggy and his nose red at the tip. His bangs stuck out from the Koolfever patch on his forehead. “It’s cold. Come lay with me.”</p>
<p>Shinsuke obliges him as he always does, wiping his hands on a towel before following Wakatoshi over to the bedroom.</p>
<p>“I just won’t go near your face so you don’t get sick,” Wakatoshi promises hoarsely as he climbed into bed, burrowing under the covers.</p>
<p>“No need to be so worried. I’m fine.” It was a Friday anyway. If Shinsuke did get sick he would have some time to recover. Shinsuke gets into bed with him, pulling the blanket over him, and Wakatoshi instantly latches around his middle and nuzzles at his chest. “Did you report your absence properly?”</p>
<p>“Yes.”</p>
<p>“Good.” Smiling, Shinsuke pets Wakatoshi’s head fondly. His smile falters when Wakatoshi’s cold fingers slip under his shirt to run his hands over Shinsuke’s chest, down to his stomach and on his happy trail. Arousal washes over him but Shinsuke has more self-control than most people. He grips at his husband’s shoulder. “What are you doing?”</p>
<p>Wakatoshi halts his movements. “Your skin is warmer bare. Do you not like it?”</p>
<p>“Not that, but. I’ll want to have sex if you keep doing that.”</p>
<p>“Oh.” One of Wakatoshi’s hands still doesn’t leave him, settling to curl around his side instead. “I’m sorry I don’t have the energy for intercourse now.”</p>
<p>“I know. It’s okay. Go to sleep, love.”</p>
<p>Now that Wakatoshi is asleep, what could Shinsuke do with this newfound free time? He already finished most of today’s cleaning. A few hours later he would have to cook lunch and make sure Wakatoshi takes his medicine on time, so he had just enough time to catch up on grading papers and maybe work on lesson plans. Right. He’ll do that. He tries reaching for the stack of papers on his desk and finds that he’ll have to move Wakatoshi in order to get anything done today. Carefully prying Wakatoshi’s fingers off of him he lets his husband settle comfortably under the blanket before moving to sit at the edge of the bed to put on his slippers.</p>
<p>“Are you in love with me?”</p>
<p>Shinsuke looks back at Wakatoshi. His husband was lying down covered in the blanket up to his nose, only his steady gaze and messy hair in sight.</p>
<p>“Earlier you said ‘love’,” Wakatoshi elaborates evenly albeit his voice being a little more than husky. He sniffles a little under the covers. “Is it like baby meaning sweetheart where the word means another thing?”</p>
<p>Completely caught off guard.</p>
<p>Here he was enjoying Wakatoshi’s company for the last few months, not bothering with any feelings and just playing along with the loving husbands charade, and now Wakatoshi is confronting him about how he feels.</p>
<p>“Are you in love with me, Shinsuke?”</p>
<p>Wakatoshi looks at him, expectant, and Shinsuke can’t think of what answer Wakatoshi would like to hear.</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” Shinsuke replies honestly. He’s put it at the back of his mind until now, never wanted any feelings to be involved in their almost business-like marriage. “I don’t know, Wakatoshi.”</p>
<p>Shinsuke doesn’t know how long he stays there with his heart pounding inside his chest, but it feels like a whole century before Wakatoshi speaks again.</p>
<p>“I see.” Wakatoshi rolls over to face the wall, pulling the blanket closer around himself. “I will go back to sleep now. No need to wake me up for lunch.”</p>
<p>Moving his hand to touch Wakatoshi, Shinsuke hesitates midway and pulls his hand back to his side. He knows Wakatoshi will need a warm meal and some medicine, but does Shinsuke have the heart for another conversation like this? He has no idea how Wakatoshi feels and he neither does he want to know either. He’s had enough disappointments in his life to try and hope again, and he thought their marriage out of convenience had been going well until now. Why did Wakatoshi even have to get feelings into the mix?</p>
<p>“Okay,” Shinsuke says instead. “Sleep well.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Surprisingly, Wakatoshi wakes up just a little after lunch time and sits at the dining table with Shinsuke, fixing himself a bowl of rice and helping himself to the pork cutlets Shinsuke cooked.</p>
<p>“Are you feeling better?” Shinsuke asks him.</p>
<p>"A little bit,” Wakatoshi answers before starting to eat.</p>
<p>So he isn’t mad and ignoring Shinsuke like when he was upset before. Shinsuke smiles. “That is good to hear. I’ll get you your medicine after eating.”</p>
<p>“Okay. Thanks.”</p>
<p>They eat in silence, which isn’t all that strange, given they were usually quiet during meals except when either of them had something to say.</p>
<p>“I’ll take care of the dishes, you go rest,” Shinsuke says afterwards when he’s setting the packet of medicine on the table in front of Wakatoshi.</p>
<p>“Thank you.”</p>
<p>Shinsuke spends the rest of the day working like he planned to do so in the first place, trying not to be around Wakatoshi too much. Based on the lunch they had together, it seems like Wakatoshi wasn’t going to bring up the topic of feelings again, but Shinsuke was still cautious.</p>
<p>What was he so scared about anyway?</p>
<p>Dinner was as normal as it could be for Shinsuke and nighttime was the same as usual, except that Wakatoshi kept to himself now and didn’t drape his body over Shinsuke’s like a warm blanket.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Everything is almost the same: they go about their normal routines, talk about what happened during their days and eat meals together. The only thing different is that Wakatoshi is no longer affectionate. He politely excuses himself whenever Shinsuke got too close, turns his back to him at night in favor of facing the wall when they slept in the same bed, and pries Shinsuke’s hands off of him whenever he did get a chance to touch him.</p>
<p>Shinsuke should have gotten used to it by now. It’s been weeks since Wakatoshi asked him about his feelings and he couldn’t provide a proper answer. He supposes it’s normal, and the way it should have been in the first place, the two of them weren’t lovers and it was even strange that they acted as if they were now that he thought about it. Although he had to admit he felt lonely not cuddling with Wakatoshi and that he misses getting a kiss everyday before work.</p>
<p>“I have thought about many things,” Wakatoshi starts once they are in the car on the way to work.</p>
<p>Shinsuke hums in acknowledgement.</p>
<p>“I would like to divorce after your grandmother dies like you originally planned.”</p>
<p>Shinsuke’s heart sinks at that. It shouldn’t, really, Wakatoshi is just someone who coincidentally wanted to get married when Shinsuke needed a husband. He grips the seatbelt with trembling hands. “I see,” he says evenly. “Did you find someone that you like?”</p>
<p>“There is no one that I like more than you.”</p>
<p>Shinsuke glances at him, Wakatoshi’s eyes fixed on the road as if the two of them were talking about something as mundane as today’s traffic situation.</p>
<p>“Something hurts in my chest when you touch me so I am sorry that I don’t let you anymore. I can’t explain it properly as they are not familiar feelings, but it seems as if I have an unrequited love.”</p>
<p>It’s a red light and Shinsuke can only stare out at the pedestrians crossing, not wanting to see what kind of face Wakatoshi would be making now that his heart aching because of him. “I’m sorry,” he says quietly.</p>
<p>“You can’t help how you feel.” Wakatoshi is as calm as ever, voice steady as if he was just accepting that things were the way they were.</p>
<p>They pull up to the front gate of Inarizaki High School, and Wakatoshi leans over to kiss him like he used to, a chaste press of lips against lips to start the day.</p>
<p>It feels final.</p>
<p>“Have a good day, Shinsuke,” Wakatoshi says with a faint smile.</p>
<p>Shinsuke forces a smile back. “You too.”</p>
<p>He makes his way into the school building when Wakatoshi drives off, greeting students and fellow teachers good morning and reprimanding students who were running in the hallway. Akaashi is already there when he gets to the faculty room and his colleague looks up at him with a frown.</p>
<p>“What’s wrong?” Akaashi asks when Shinsuke sat down at his desk beside him.</p>
<p>“What?” Maybe there was something on Shinsuke’s face, because Akaashi is reaching over to thumb at his cheek.</p>
<p>“You’re crying,” Akaashi says, worried.</p>
<p>Shinsuke reaches up to his face and feels how wet his cheeks are, finally realizing why his vision was so blurry the whole way to the faculty room. “You’re right,” he agrees with a small laugh. “I wonder why.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10 (NSFW)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you so much for all the kudos and comments on this fic, I am happy that this fic of a rarepair has gotten this much attention ;-; I am just on lunch break right now so I will reply to the comments on the previous chapter tomorrow!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Akaashi brings Shinsuke some tea and just lets him cry, quietly taking his seat again beside Shinsuke. He doesn’t coo over Shinsuke or draw any attention from the other faculty members and Shinsuke is grateful for that.</p><p>“Whoa, what happened, Shinsuke?!” Sugawara asks immediately when he comes to the office. He drops his things to the floor and moves to cup Shinsuke’s face in both hands, looking him over as if his problem would be written all over his face.</p><p>“Just needed a good cry, is all,” Shinsuke says simply, sniffling as he pulled away.</p><p>The other teachers in the room peer over curiously but none of them pretend to be concerned. It’s only Takeda that moves closer to them, putting a comforting hand on Shinsuke’s shoulder. “Why don’t you skip your morning class?” He turns to Sugawara and Akaashi. “You can let him stay at the art club room for some privacy. Akaashi, you can let the students know it’ll be self-study time for them today.”</p><p>The two nod immediately and Akaashi makes a move to collect his teaching things.</p><p>“I can work.” Shinsuke wipes his tears off with his palms. “Just give me a moment.”</p><p>“Kita-sensei.” Takeda puts both of his hands on Shinsuke’s shoulders. “I can’t possibly let you do that. It’s okay to take breaks for your mental health once in a while. Just think of it as something that will help you present your best self as a teacher.”</p><p>“But-”</p><p>“I insist. I’ll talk to the principal for you. I won’t ask the reason but I know you are only human despite the rumors amongst the students that you’re actually a robot,” Takeda says with a chuckle.</p><p>Shinsuke smiles a little at that.</p><p>“You can even go home if you like, just let any of us know. Okay?”</p><p>“Yes. Thank you, Takeda-sensei.”</p><p>Following his senior’s instructions, he gets the art club room’s key from Sugawara, but not without taking a stack of papers from his desk to check.</p><p>The art club room is a little messy with all the paintings and art materials. Shinsuke had always found it rather comforting, with the large windows that let in the sunlight and lit up the whole room. It’s strange to be alone there without his friends, but Sugawara had promised that he would check on Shinsuke when he can.</p><p>Shinsuke doesn’t go home that day and just collects himself as he graded papers. He hates messing up his routine but he can’t help his own feelings either.</p><p>Feelings. He is not very good with them. What he’s good at is routine, doing the same things everyday and falling into a rhythm, be it with another person or by himself. Maybe he just got used to Wakatoshi being there for him all the time, offering tight hugs and helping him cook warm meals everyday.</p><p>He hurt Wakatoshi.</p><p>That is what concerns him the most. Wakatoshi never deserved to be hurt, he only got caught in Shinsuke’s selfish act of wanting to get married and got used to the two of them acting like lovers.</p><p>At least that’s what Shinsuke tells himself.</p><p>His phone buzzes and he opens up the new message from Sugawara in their little groupchat: <em>Is it about your husband?</em></p><p>He texts back: <em>How did you know?</em></p><p>Suga: <em>;) You looked a little brighter and more relaxed until recently. Akaashi says maybe feelings were involved?</em></p><p>Kita: <em>Yes. He confessed and I didn’t like him back and he grew distant.</em></p><p>Suga: <em>You don’t like him back? Really??</em></p><p>Suga: <em>Are you an idiot??</em></p><p>Akaashi: <em>Kita-sensei, if you saw how happy you looked every time you read his little notes to you, you would probably be more honest. </em></p><p>Shinsuke stares at the message. The notes. It sure made him happy to receive them and he was disappointed when Wakatoshi stopped writing them. He was happy when Wakatoshi surprised him with tofu hamburgers, albeit the surprise being announced, and he was happy that Wakatoshi took the time to visit his grandmother.</p><p>Oh. Being with Wakatoshi just makes him happy.</p><p>It’s scary to admit, even to himself.</p><p>Suga: <em>Shinsuke I will smack some sense into you later!!</em></p><p>Shinsuke types a reply.</p><p>Kita: <em>I think Akaashi already did that without resorting to any violence.</em></p><p>Akaashi: <em>:-)</em></p><p>Suga: <em>If your fangirls and fanboys only knew you typed smiley faces with noses they would be so turned off!</em></p><p>Kita: <em>I am afraid of getting hurt.</em></p><p>Shinsuke grips his phone tight. It isn’t everyday that he shows any kind of vulnerability. He’s been hurt a lot before, and he knew being emotionally involved with anyone would just be taking the risk to get hurt again.</p><p>Akaashi: <em>You must be scared of losing him too. </em></p><p>Suga: <em>You tell him, Keiji!</em></p><p>Kita: <em>I will think about it first.</em></p><p>Akaashi: <em>Not too much, please. You know what overthinking does to me.</em></p><p>Shinsuke smiles. It was times like these that he really appreciated his friends and how they always had his back.</p><p>Kita: <em>Thank you, you two. :)</em></p><p>
  
</p><p>-</p><p>Shinsuke works on grading papers the rest of the morning when he comes across a strange message. Smack right in the middle of a sentence in a student’s reaction paper read:</p><p>
  <em>I think the guy was not right to betray his brother because hey Kita-sensei do you even read these stupid essays? I like you.</em>
</p><p>He checks the name on the paper. Miya Atsumu.</p><p>“Akaashi, what do you do about student’s confessions?” Shinsuke asks his co-teacher during lunch time. His friends had given him affectionate hugs and Sugawara had even ruffled his hair like a grandmother would.</p><p>Akaashi looks up from the carrot he was glaring at, expression turning neutral when he looks at Shinsuke. “I tell them I’m sorry and I have someone I like. Did you get one?”</p><p>“Yes. From someone in the volleyball team.”</p><p>“Who!” Sugawara pipes up.</p><p>“Miya Atsumu.” Shinsuke goes back to eating his have-a-good-day-note-less lunch.</p><p>“Oh, Miya?” Sugawara scrunches his eyebrows in thought, cheek puffed up from chewing. “Is he the quiet one who is always eating or the blonde one?”</p><p>“Blonde setter,” Shinsuke replies.</p><p>“Isn’t he super popular! I’ve seen some of my students crying after being rejected by those twins.” Sugawara grins at them both. “Man, do I have popular friends!”</p><p>“You are the most popular here, Sugawara-sensei,” Akaashi says, seemingly having conquered eating his carrots.</p><p>“I wish,” Sugawara laughs. “Too bad for the kid, Shinsuke is married.”</p><p>“I also wouldn’t date a minor, Suga-sensei.” Shinsuke frowns at him, offended.</p><p>“Hey, that goes without saying!”</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p>Atsumu had a dilemma.</p><p>He had impulsively confessed to his crush via reaction paper and now he’s awaiting a rejection. He thinks Kita-sensei will most likely ignore it but deep inside he hopes that his teacher likes him too and will engage in a super secret student-teacher relationship with him.</p><p>His brother Osamu had told him Kita-sensei was married and had a very good-looking husband that he saw when he was grocery shopping with Suna. Of course Atsumu didn’t believe him. Osamu was always out to troll him, but who even cares if Kita was married? Maybe he would even leave his husband for Atsumu. Atsumu knew marriages weren’t happily-ever-afters, coming from a single parent home himself.</p><p>“Hey, Atsumu, Kita-sensei is calling for you,” Ginjima calls him during lunch time. “You’re not in trouble, are you?” He looks worried.</p><p>“Do not eat my food,” Atsumu warns his brother, who was already eyeing his unfinished pork cutlet, before putting the lid on his food container. “I don’t think so,” he assures Ginjima.</p><p>“Bet you tonight’s pudding that Kita-sensei will reject you,” Osamu proposes to him.</p><p>“Don’t jinx it! If I get a boyfriend I wouldn’t tell you anyway!” Atsumu barks at him before getting up to go to the faculty room.</p><p>Kita-sensei has always been very intimidating, but now he is scarier than ever, staring at Atsumu as if he can see through his soul. Atsumu fidgets in the chair in front of Kita’s desk.</p><p>“I saw your confession to me,” Kita says quietly. So he’s not going to embarrass Atsumu by letting the whole faculty room hear about it. Atsumu holds his breath. “First of all, this was a very dangerous thing for you to do.”</p><p>What? This wasn't a rejection at the get-go, was it? Was he going to say he liked Atsumu too?</p><p>“You never know what kind of people adults are. Had you confessed to an adult who turned out to be a bad person and taken advantage of your immaturity, you would have been in danger. Please do not do this kind of thing anymore.”</p><p>Atsumu’s shoulders drop. Of course Kita would think of this rationally. He only thinks of Atsumu as a stupid child and nothing more.</p><p>“But, thank you for your feelings. I didn’t think anyone would like an old man like me.” Kita smiles. He’s cute, too cute, and Atsumu’s chest hurts. “I think I will try to be more like you and be honest about my feelings.”</p><p>“Aren’t you married, sensei!” Atsumu blurts out. What the hell was this bullshit about being honest about feelings? Did Kita like someone else that wasn’t his husband?! Was he cheating on him with someone else?! And why couldn’t that someone be Atsumu?!</p><p>Kita blinks once. “Yes. You must have heard from your brother and Suna. I’ve been giving him a hard time lately, but I think I will be able to be more honest now. Thank you to the push forward in that direction, Miya.” He smiles a little, tenderly, and Atsumu knows he has already lost.</p><p>“You must really like your husband, sensei,” Atsumu says somewhat bitterly.</p><p>“Yes. Very much. I would like to be married to him forever.” When has Kita ever smiled like that?</p><p>Atsumu takes a deep breath. He gets up, smiling the fake, confident smile that everyone loves, and bows low. “Thank you for taking the time to reject me properly.”</p><p>“You deserve at least that. Now go on, sorry for taking up some of your lunch time.” Kita waves him off.</p><p>Atsumu bows again before scurrying away.</p><p>“So do you have a boyfriend?” Osamu is merciless when he comes back to the classroom.</p><p>“No.” Atsumu sniffles, rubbing at the corners of his eyes.</p><p>“Told you so.”</p><p>Atsumu puts his head in his arms, laying it down on the desk. He doesn’t even feel like eating the rest of his lunch, he just wants to sleep off the remaining minutes of his break and not talk to anyone.</p><p>Osamu pats his head. “You can keep your pudding later.”</p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>They are polite to each other when Wakatoshi drops by to pick up Shinsuke at his workplace, exchanging niceties and quiet nods. It’s okay. Wakatoshi has gotten used to it. At home they still cook together and have a quiet dinner.</p><p>Afterwards they do their own thing. Wakatoshi goes to watch TV in the living room, quickly turning to the shopping channel that he likes. He’s thoroughly enthralled by the latest kitchen appliance that can crush peanuts by just turning a handle, and thinking about buying it when Shinsuke enters the living room with two mugs of tea.</p><p>“A student confessed to me today,” is what Shinsuke says first, as he handed Wakatoshi a cup.</p><p>“Oh.” Was Shinsuke saying it to spite him? Wakatoshi drinks some of the tea. Green, Shinsuke’s usual tea of choice.</p><p>“So I thought I would try to be like him and be a little more honest with my feelings.” Shinsuke sits down beside him and takes a sip of tea. His hands are trembling just a little bit, almost not enough to notice, but it was obvious to Wakatoshi since he’s never seen Shinsuke like that before. Usually Shinsuke never showed any signs of being nervous or scared of anything. “I never told you I was engaged before.”</p><p>“Oh.” Maybe Shinsuke was in love with someone else, and Wakatoshi never had any chance in the first place even after living together for so long. Wakatoshi downs his tea in one gulp, his throat hurting a little bit from the heat, and sets the cup on the coffee table.</p><p>"The engagement was called off when my ex-fiance decided he didn’t have any feelings for me after all, even though we dated for eight years.”</p><p>“That is a long time to be with someone. Do you still have feelings for him?” It would probably hurt him, but Wakatoshi wants to know the truth more than anything.</p><p>“No. Of course I was sad for a while, but you get over people. It’s the feeling of being rejected after being together for so long that stays with you.” Shinsuke fiddles with the handle of his cup. “So I am scared to become emotionally involved with someone again. I know how someone can fall out of love that easily.”</p><p>Wakatoshi thinks about that for a while, leaning his head back against the back of the sofa to stare at the ceiling. It was spotless, not even a stray cobweb in the corner, because Shinsuke had always made sure to keep it that way. The meticulous routine of keeping things in order that was classic Shinsuke behavior. “Maybe you two dated for that long because both of you weren’t used to dating anyone else. Maybe that person wasn’t sure of his feelings in the first place and just got used to being with you, and you got used to being with him.”</p><p>“Maybe. But don’t you think you just got used to living with me as well?”</p><p>“I am sure of my feelings.” Looking at Shinsuke and how vulnerable he seems right now, Wakatoshi knows it. He may not have known Shinsuke for even a year but he knows. He’s seen all the little habits that make up Shinsuke by being with him for the past months, and he knows he is in love.</p><p>“I see.” Shinsuke smiles softly. “I’m in love with you too, Wakatoshi. I’m sorry if I was scared and not honest about my feelings.”</p><p>Wakatoshi stares at him as Shinsuke sets his cup on the coffee table in front of them. “So I don’t have an unrequited love?” he confirms.</p><p>“No.” Shinsuke shakes his head. “Not an unrequited love.”</p><p>“Oh.” Wakatoshi runs that over and over in his mind. Not an unrequited love. Which means… Shinsuke is in love with him too? He thinks so, Shinsuke said so himself.</p><p>“Can I hug you, Wakatoshi?”</p><p>Wakatoshi doesn’t have to be told twice. He buries himself against Shinsuke’s chest, letting himself be held like before his feelings got in between the two of them. It’s warm in Shinsuke’s arms and Wakatoshi can feel it all the way inside of him, Shinsuke’s usual warmth and comfort that had become painful to the touch these past few weeks, now back to how it always used to be for Wakatoshi.</p><p>“Does it still hurt to touch me now?” Shinsuke asks softly, the vibration in his chest comforting against Wakatoshi and his fingertips gently stroking at his hair.</p><p>Wakatoshi focuses on the feeling in his own chest. “A little bit,” he decides. <em>He is in love with Shinsuke and Shinsuke loves him back.</em> It feels like his chest is going to burst from happiness. “I am okay with it.”</p><p>-</p><p>There’s a whole storm outside when Wakatoshi wakes up the next morning, but his bed only feels warm. No morning run today since it’s slippery outside. It’s rare that he is up earlier than Shinsuke and he takes the time to admire his husband’s sleeping face, as serene as he looks during his waking hours, but his admiration is cut short when Shinsuke opens his eyes as if he felt that he was being watched.</p><p>Shinsuke gives his arms a good stretch, cat-like, before relaxing and smiling softly at Wakatoshi. “Good morning, handsome.”</p><p>A compliment. What a nice thing to wake up to. Wakatoshi has to return the favor since it warmed his heart. “Good morning. You look handsome too, even though your face is a little puffy and your hair is messy.”</p><p>Shinsuke must find that amusing because he laughs before snuggling closer to Wakatoshi and tucking himself under Wakatoshi’s chin. “Thank you. I’m glad you think so.”</p><p>Wrapping an arm around Shinsuke’s waist, Wakatoshi pulls his husband’s naked body close. “For a change, would you like to have pancakes for breakfast?” He knows Shinsuke has a sweet tooth.</p><p>Shinsuke hums in thought. “Pancakes would be nice.”</p><p>“Pancakes it is, then.” Wakatoshi is so happy and content just laying down with his husband that he doesn’t think he’s going to ask for anything else in life. He feels Shinsuke trailing his fingertips against his stomach lightly.</p><p>“Can I touch you, Wakatoshi?”</p><p>“Yes.” Wakatoshi sucks in a breath as Shinsuke’s hand starts stroking his morning erection. “You don’t have to ask.”</p><p>“But I want to. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable,” Shinsuke explains as if he wasn’t jacking Wakatoshi off. “Just so you have the option to say no any time. I don’t want to do anything you don’t want me to do.”</p><p>“Okay.” Wakatoshi closes his eyes, his breathing heavier as Shinsuke gathers the precum from the tip of his cock to let his hand slide easier. “I would like to be made love to, please.”</p><p>Shinsuke gives his chest a chaste kiss before moving away.</p><p>That is not allowed. Wakatoshi knows Shinsuke has a very clear rule about kissing before anyone has brushed their teeth. He wants to speak up about it but he’s more focused on trying to get Shinsuke’s dick inside him now, so he lies on his stomach and hugs a pillow to his face.</p><p>“You enjoyed last night, Wakatoshi?”</p><p>“Yes.” The two of them had enough rounds of sex for Wakatoshi to be a little tired now, both of them desperate after almost a month of not touching each other, but it’s not like he doesn’t want any more sex. Wakatoshi hears his husband uncap the bottle of lube, probably spreading it on his fingers to warm it first, before warm hands gently move his ass cheeks apart to slip a finger in easily. “I do not need much preparation.”</p><p>“Just to make sure you don’t get hurt.”</p><p>Wakatoshi closes his eyes again, focusing on the feeling of Shinsuke fingering him, groaning when his prostate is tapped at repeatedly. He knows he’s leaking precum all over the sheets under him; he’ll have to change the bedding later. “I am ready.”</p><p>Shinsuke gives his shoulder a light kiss and Wakatoshi can hear the familiar sound of a condom wrapper being ripped open. He pushes his cock into Wakatoshi, a soft sigh leaving his lips when his cock is balls-deep inside his husband.</p><p>“Mm. Feels nice, Shinsuke.”</p><p>“Yeah?” Shinsuke starts fucking into him, short and deep thrusts that Wakatoshi likes and makes him grip the pillow tighter. “You like getting fucked, Wakatoshi?”</p><p>“When it’s- ah,” Wakatoshi gasps at a particularly hard thrust. “When it’s you.”</p><p>That seems to please Shinsuke, because he fucks into Wakatoshi harder.</p><p>There’s no pressure to hold back, they have the whole weekend to themselves, and Wakatoshi jerks himself off in time with Shinsuke’s thrusts. He comes with a groan first, his cum splattering on the sheets, and he lets Shinsuke continue to fuck into him until Shinsuke’s pace grows erratic and he’s gripping Wakatoshi’s hips as he comes.</p><p>Shinsuke pulls out of him when he’s soft enough, still out of breath as he pats Wakatoshi’s butt fondly before laying down next to him. “That woke me up.”</p><p>Wakatoshi peers at him over his arm, still maintaining the same position. “You wake up early even when we don’t do this.”</p><p>“You’re right.” Shinsuke curls up at his side. Wakatoshi thinks he might have fallen asleep because he isn’t saying anything, but Shinsuke talks again. “Do you think it’s a strange sequence that we got married first before falling in love?”</p><p>Wakatoshi thinks of that. Sure it’s a little strange, most couples date with the goal of marriage in mind and the two of them already started at most couple’s endgame. “Yes,” he concludes. “But I think it suits us.”</p><p>“Why so?”</p><p>“People think of marriage as the end goal of dating. I don’t want anything to end. I just want to be husbands with you everyday.”</p><p>Shinsuke smiles at him. “You’re quite romantic, Wakatoshi.”</p><p>“I am?” Wakatoshi wanted to be more romantic with his husband but he didn’t know how. Apparently he's a natural at romance, he thought smugly. “I was just stating my honest feelings.”</p><p>“Very.” Shinsuke squeezes him with one arm. “I agree that we should be husbands everyday.”</p><p>They clean up together and tag team on breakfast as usual. Shinsuke is in awe of how fluffy the pancakes turned out, Wakatoshi proud of his recipe.</p><p>Watching Shinsuke in a baggy shirt eating pancakes, his hair still a mess from sleep and early morning sex, Wakatoshi feels it. “I love you.”</p><p>Shinsuke’s cheeks visibly color like the first time they held hands, eyes widening ever so slightly. Then he smiles. “I love you too, Wakatoshi. I’m happy to hear it.”</p><p>“Why? You already knew.” Wakatoshi pokes his fork into a pancake and slices it into a bite-sized piece before popping it into his mouth. “That I’m in love with you.”</p><p>“Yes, but I love hearing you say it out loud. It makes me happy.”</p><p>“I see.” Making Shinsuke happy was the one thing he wanted to do from now on. “Then I will say it often.”</p><p>“I would like that. Very much.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This fic is ending soon! I thought it would end in this chapter but I like writing domestic fluff bullshit so let's continue one more chapter!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The last chapter! Once again thank you so much to everyone who has read this and left any interaction in this fic and I hope this is a satisfactory ending for you guys ;-;</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They visit Granny the following month, hand in hand as they entered her room, a lot more at ease with each other and a little more publicly affectionate than before. Granny is as utterly delighted to see them as she always is, albeit a little thinner than Wakatoshi is used to seeing her. They chatter about mundane things like the new morning drama Granny likes and how Wakatoshi’s tomato plant was nearing harvest time.</p><p>Granny decides she wants to go out before the two of them leave, so Wakatoshi effortlessly carries her to her wheelchair and wheels her out of the building to the small park area outside while Shinsuke does some of the required paperwork at the nurse station.</p><p>“I wanted to talk to you alone,” Granny starts when they had reached a bench so that Wakatoshi could sit near her. “Are you finally in love with Shin-chan, Wakatoshi-kun?”</p><p>“I have always been in love,” Wakatoshi replies simply. He stares at the small patch of plants in front of them. “I was ready to give up but now he loves me back.”</p><p>“I see.” Granny smiles at him kindly. “You did well, Wakatoshi-kun. I am sorry if my grandson gave you a hard time.”</p><p>“It wasn’t his fault if he didn’t like me. I respect his feelings no matter what.” Wakatoshi smiles. “But, I am very lucky that he does love me.”</p><p>“You are. But he is lucky to have someone like you too.” Granny sighs contentedly. “Ah, I’m glad Shin-chan found a kind husband. I can pass away peacefully,” she jokes.</p><p>Wakatoshi frowns. “Grandmother, you have to stay healthy and alive for a long time. Shinsuke wants to spend more time with you.”</p><p>Granny looks surprised, mouth falling slightly open at that. Then, she laughs. “You’re right,” she says through giggles. “That’s exactly right. I’m sorry.”</p><p>“You have to stay healthy,” Wakatoshi repeats seriously.</p><p>“I will try my hardest,” Granny says, holding up her little clenched hands. “Thank you for the reminder, Wakatoshi-kun.”</p><p>They sat there feeding pigeons from a packet of feeds a nurse hands them, and Shinsuke soon joins them with some bottles of tea for everyone.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p>As soon as they’re home from the trip, Wakatoshi turns to Shinsuke, arms open and inviting. “Come here.”</p><p>Shinsuke obliges, letting himself be held and circling his own arms around Wakatoshi’s middle. “Is something wrong?”</p><p>Wakatoshi settles his chin on Shinsuke’s head comfortably first before talking. “Granny told me she would try to live a little longer for your sake. So don’t be sad, Shinsuke.”</p><p>So Wakatoshi was concerned about his gloomy mood every time they went to visit Granny. Today was different though, as Shinsuke felt nothing but happiness after today’s visit. “I’m not sad, love.” He pulls away to smile up at Wakatoshi. “Quite the opposite. I’m very happy today.”</p><p>Wakatoshi looks confused. “But you are usually sad.”</p><p>“I know. But today I’m glad that you and Granny get along well.” Shinsuke snuggles back into Wakatoshi’s arms. “I’m happy Granny is still alive to meet the wonderful person I fell in love with.”</p><p>A few seconds of quiet before Wakatoshi’s large palm is pressed against Shinsuke’s back. “That’s good. As long as you’re happy.” He pauses again before adding, “And you are a wonderful person that I’m in love with, too.”</p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>A little more than a year later, Shinsuke is standing on stage to make a speech. He clears his throat away from the mic, unfolding the piece of paper he wrote his speech on in case he forgot anything, before moving to speak into it.</p><p>“Hello, I am Keiji’s coworker and friend, Kita Shinsuke.” He bows deeply towards the crowd. “First of all, I would like to extend my congratulations to the newlyweds. Then, I would like to give some advice as someone who has been married for two years now.</p><p>What being with my husband- the very sexy, gorgeous man beside Sugawara-sensei over there-” He gestures towards his husband. Wakatoshi’s face remains stoic, but Shinsuke can see from the stage that his ears are pink as Sugawara laughed and slapped his shoulder. “-has taught me is that marriage is a partnership. You have to change your schedule to accommodate your husband and your husband will have to do the same. You have to divide all responsibilities at home equally to make sure you are both doing your share; you wouldn’t want you or your husband doing more than the other. Make sure to communicate well and be honest at all times to avoid any misunderstandings and hurt feelings.”</p><p>What he’s written comes to an end and he folds the paper closed with a small smile. “It’s also important to have a date night at least once a week so you can spend time with each other. Lastly, a husband is family, so you’ll have to hug your husband as tight as possible when he’s sad.”</p><p>An enthusiastic “I will!!” comes from Akaashi’s new husband, and Akaashi looks the happiest Shinsuke has ever seen him in their years of friendship. He’s happy for his friend.</p><p>“Once again, I wish the two of you happiness.”</p><p>-</p><p>At the reception they eat at the same table as Shinsuke’s other coworkers, Sugawara full of energy again as he finally got over his tears from when he gave his own speech and bawled throughout the whole thing.</p><p>“This place is really pretty.” Sugawara was right: the area was full of trees and decorated with fairy lights and flowy fabric that gave the image of a fairy tale wedding at sunset. “Pretty far out though. It was hard to get to.”</p><p>“Want a lift home? We drove here,” Shinsuke offers.</p><p>“That’s okay, I came with Takeda-sensei and his husband and they offered a ride home too. And.” Sugawara moves closer to Shinsuke’s ear. “After that horny display a while ago I wouldn’t want to get in the way!”</p><p>Shinsuke laughs heartily, holding his champagne glass tighter so his drink wouldn’t spill as Sugawara playfully smacked his arm. “I was just telling the truth. My husband is sexy.”</p><p>“Yes, yes, you both are.” Sugawara rolls his eyes.</p><p>Wakatoshi comes back from the buffet table with a deep frown, setting a plate of desserts in front of Shinsuke. “Shinsuke, they were out of the pastries you liked.”</p><p>“That’s okay, love, thank you.”</p><p>“Geez, you two are too sweet, there are ants all over,” Sugawara complains with a laugh.<br/>
<br/>
Wakatoshi looks around him carefully. “There are no ants,” he reports, somewhat confused.</p><p>“He means he has no significant other and he is jealous of our relationship, Wakatoshi,” Shinsuke clarifies.</p><p>“Yeah, where is my other half?” Sugawara sighs. He gorges on some more of the cupcakes Wakatoshi brought, getting icing messily on the side of his mouth and hands.</p><p>“But you are not a half,” Wakatoshi tells him as he sat down beside Shinsuke. He reaches for a danish pastry and takes a small bite. “You are a whole person. Why do you need another half?”</p><p>Sugawara’s eyes widen, before he bursts out laughing at the realization. “You’re right. What do I need anyone for?! I’m a whole person!” He wipes the icing off the sides of his mouth with a napkin, before moving closer to Wakatoshi. “But seriously, do you have any single friends you can introduce me to?”</p><p>“My best friend is single,” Wakatoshi informs him. Sugawara cheers. “But he is a mangaka so he has no free time to go on dates.”</p><p>-</p><p> </p><p>After the festivities they say one last congratulations to Akaashi and his husband and then say goodbye to Shinsuke’s coworkers. Sugawara is completely opposed to going home with Shinsuke and Wakatoshi, so the two of them are left alone in the car just like the way they came to the wedding.</p><p>“You should take a nap,” Wakatoshi comments after glancing at him during a red light. “You were up all night reassuring Akaashi.”</p><p>“Oh, you heard that? Did I wake you up?” Shinsuke frowns. He thought was far away enough to not disturb Wakatoshi’s sleep but apparently not.</p><p>“I looked for you because you weren’t in bed. But, I went back to sleep.” Good thing Wakatoshi was completely unbothered by most things except the lack of Shinsuke. “You should take a nap.”</p><p>Shinsuke smiles. “Please wake me up when we’re home.”</p><p>“I will.”</p><p>Once they get home during the evening Wakatoshi wakes him up by shaking his shoulder gently. “We are home,” he announces just as he had promised. Wakatoshi takes off his seatbelt as Shinsuke rubs the sleep out of his eyes. “Would you like me to carry you upstairs? I want to carry you upstairs.”</p><p>“That would be nice.” Shinsuke got to unbuckling his own seatbelt, waiting for Wakatoshi to come out to his door and offer his back so he could climb on. He pats his husband’s head affectionately once he’s settled on Wakatoshi’s back. “Just take the elevator so you don’t have a hard time.”</p><p>“I’m okay. We just live on the second floor.” Wakatoshi hoists him up to have a better grip and starts walking to the apartment.</p><p>They say hello to some neighbors they meet on the way up, a friendly woman who often asked Wakatoshi for plant advice as she could see their lush balcony from outside the apartment building, and their young daughter.</p><p>“Is Shinsuke-san hurt?” the little girl asks in worry. “Why are you carrying him?”</p><p>“I’m not hurt, Miki-chan,” Shinsuke reassures her from Wakatoshi’s back. “My husband just loves me a lot and wanted to carry me so I don’t get tired.”</p><p>“Husbands do that?” Miki looks impressed. “I didn’t want to get married but now I want a husband that carries me like Ushijima-san!”</p><p>“Now, now, stop bothering the neighbors,” her mother chides, tugging on her daughter’s hand. They bow to the Wakatoshi and Shinsuke before continuing their way downstairs.</p><p>“Everyone wants a husband like my Wakatoshi,” Shinsuke teased lovingly before pressing a kiss on Wakatoshi’s head. “I am so lucky to have you.”</p><p>“They should read the articles I read when we got married. Like <em>100 Things You Can Do to be a Better Husband</em>.”</p><p>Shinsuke plops on the couch as soon as they’re inside the flat, tired from all the festivities and sleep insufficient. His husband sits down beside him too, Wakatoshi must have been tired from driving for such a long time, and Shinsuke moves to lay his head on Wakatoshi’s shoulder comfortably. “Thank you for coming with me, baby. You must be tired.”</p><p>“From the driving, yes.” Wakatoshi’s hand reaches for his, loosely intertwining his long fingers with Shinsuke’s. “But I am happy to spend time with you and your friends.”</p><p>“Really? Suga is quite a handful,” Shinsuke laughs.</p><p>“Sugawara-sensei is very nice and friendly to me. Takeda-sensei is nice too. Akaashi-sensei I did not get to talk to much because he is busy with his marriage but if you like him then he must be a good person.”</p><p>“He is. He talked to me a lot about being honest about my feelings for you. He and Suga both did.” Shinsuke pulls away to brush Wakatoshi’s bangs up from his forehead. “So I’ll be honest and say I think you look very sexy in that suit.”</p><p>Wakatoshi frowns deep, faint blush coloring his cheeks as he turned his face away from Shinsuke. “I know. You said so a while ago in front of all those people.”</p><p>Shinsuke brushes his fingertips over Wakatoshi’s cheekbones, tracing where it was a little warm to the touch. “Sorry. Were you embarrassed?”</p><p>“A little bit. But, I liked it. Like you were proud of me.”</p><p>Cupping Wakatoshi’s face in both hands so that he would have no choice but to look at him, Shinsuke says, “I <em>am </em>proud of you. Always.”</p><p>“Me too,” Wakatoshi replies, speech a little muffled by Shinsuke pressing on his cheeks. “I would like a kiss, please.”</p><p>“Of course.” Shinsuke gives him a chaste peck, pulling back to see Wakatoshi scowling.</p><p>“More, please.”</p><p>Not one to tease his husband for long, Shinsuke kisses him again, a little deeper this time but still more slow and leisurely than how they usually kiss. He pulls back to swipe his thumb at Wakatoshi’s lower lip, glossy with spit. “Can I undress?”</p><p>“Yes. I would like that.”</p><p>Shinsuke gets up from the couch and unbuttons his slacks, folding them in a neat pile and setting them aside after removing them. He’s in the dress shirt, his underwear, and the garter belts on his legs holding his shirt down when he climbs up on Wakatoshi’s lap, letting his husband run large hands up his thighs. “Do you like this?”</p><p>“Yes,” Wakatoshi answers immediately, fingers tracing lightly along where the elastic hugged Shinsuke’s thighs, seemingly in awe at the sight. “You’re so beautiful.”</p><p>The sudden compliment makes Shinsuke blush. “You should see how you look,” he mumbles back before diving in for a kiss.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p>Wakatoshi is already in bed when Shinsuke finishes drying his hair after a shower, his husband staring up at the ceiling. He has a small furrow in his brow which Shinsuke wants to massage off. Crawling into bed with him, Shinsuke lays a palm gently on Wakatoshi’s toned stomach, the fabric of the t-shirt thin from years of wear. It was one of Wakatoshi’s favorite sleep clothes during the rare occasions he chose to wear anything to sleep.</p><p>“Toshi. Is something bothering you?”</p><p>“Not bothered.” Wakatoshi puts his own hand on top of Shinsuke’s, gently running his thumb over his knuckles. “I am just thinking.”</p><p>Shinsuke hums in acknowledgement. He knew he didn’t have to ask why, Wakatoshi always told him what he was thinking anywa. It just took a little while to put his thoughts into words and Shinsuke didn’t mind waiting.</p><p>“A wedding where the couple is in love is very different.”</p><p>“Oh.” Shinsuke felt a little uneasy at that. He presses more firmly against Wakatoshi, cheek pressed against his chest. “Do you regret getting married the way we did, then?”</p><p>“Of course not,” Wakatoshi says, offended. “I would never regret marrying you.”</p><p>Shinsuke smiles against him, letting out the breath he was holding. Good.</p><p>“I just thought their wedding was nice.”</p><p>“Yeah? What did you like about it?”</p><p>“The speeches were nice. Akaashi-sensei is very poetic.”</p><p>“Well, Akaashi initially wanted to teach literature.”</p><p>“I see.”</p><p>They lay cuddling for a while until Shinsuke has an idea. “Shall we get married again, then?”</p><p>Wakatoshi ponders that for a whole two minutes before deciding with a frown on his face. “No.”</p><p>“I thought you wanted a nice wedding,” Shinsuke says, a little disappointed.</p><p>“But I like being your husband of two years more. If we get married again those years wouldn’t count,” Wakatoshi explains to him.</p><p>“Okay. That makes sense.” Shinsuke smiles to himself. One of the things he loved about his husband was the almost childlike innocence he had to him, which contributed to his simple way of explaining his thought process. “Then, how about a renewal of marriage vows?”</p><p>“You have to renew them?” Wakatoshi looks shocked at first, and then worried. “Do they expire? When do they expire?”</p><p>Shinsuke laughs. “They don’t, it’s just like a commemoration of when we got married but unlike an anniversary there’s a ceremony like a wedding.”</p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>Shinsuke lets Wakatoshi ponder for a while, closing his eyes and listening to his husband’s steady heartbeat instead.</p><p>“Would you say something nice about me like in today’s wedding?” Wakatoshi asks seriously, but with a hint of timidity like he was nervous to ask.</p><p>“I always say nice things about you.” Wakatoshi doesn’t look satisfied with that answer, so Shinsuke elaborates. “Do you mean like the speeches that you liked?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Of course.” Shinsuke kisses his cheek to reassure him.</p><p>Wakatoshi seems to still be thinking hard about it, but Shinsuke knew he wasn’t bothered anymore. There’s a slight glint of excitement in his eyes when Shinsuke pulled away to look at him.</p><p>“We can make cupcakes together for the event,” Wakatoshi says after a while, looking smugly satisfied with his idea. “Maybe I will ask my students for design advice. My student in the cooking club Yachi is going to design school in Tokyo soon. She has great design sense.”</p><p>“Will you be okay baking a day before though? You might get tired.”</p><p>“You know I don’t tire easily. But I don’t want you to get tired.” Wakatoshi snakes an arm around his husband’s waist. “Then, I want Granny to be there. Maybe we can have the event in her room.”</p><p>Shinsuke’s eyes widen. “You would do that?” he asks softly. “You don’t want a nice events place like today?”</p><p>“People important to us should be there and Grandmother is important to me,” Wakatoshi says simply. He fidgets a little. “Do you think I am important to her as well?”</p><p>“Of course.” Shinsuke buries his somewhat teary-eyed smile against the fabric of Wakatoshi’s shirt. “You make her grandson the happiest, after all.”</p>
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